The Four Kingdoms
by Elle Pellano
Summary: AU: Thought to be missing and dead, Princess Anna survives the royal massacre and finds herself crossing the enemy kingdom's borders. Will the truth behind her parents' murders be able to unite the Four Kingdoms or will a war break out? RenxAnnaxYoh
1. Chapter 1: Return of the Kaminari Prince

The Four Kingdoms

By Elle Pellano

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

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><p><strong>Chapter I. The Return of the Kaminari Prince<strong>

He was already sick of the sea - not that kind that would make him throw up. He was bored of staring at the seemingly endless span of blue water which he had been seeing for more than a week. He needed a change of environment. His father, the king of Kaminari had sent him a telegram 9 days ago asking him to go home immediately for an important gathering. The king would be making an announcement of some sort which would require the presence of his only heir. Fortunately, the Royal Patch Academy had approved of his leave. He would just have to make up for the lessons that he would miss upon his return after a month.

It was not difficult negotiating with the head master as he was one of the smartest princes enrolled in the school. If there was one thing he would boast about his academic track record, it was the consistent high marks he was getting at his War Tactics classes. However, the subject seemed to be of less importance in the academy which was why he found it odd that his father had sent him over to this institution. The king of Kaminari loved to strategize - not that they were in a state of war. A peace treaty between the four kingdoms had been decreed since a century ago and although the terms were strict, all royalties had complied and co-existed quietly if not harmoniously. However, his father always reminded him to never let his guard down and that their kingdom should always be prepared for the unexpected.

He sighed. _Kaminari_ - It's been three years since he last saw the kingdom. His father had sent him to study abroad in an exclusive school for royal bloods. He admitted to himself that he missed home. He missed the palace people, his queen mother, his strict father, and most of all, his best friend. He imagined how she would react the moment he showed himself up.

_She would be surprised to see me._

His best friend, the princess of Kouku Kingdom was… how should he put it? … a spoiled brat. He knew her well because they grew up together for their fathers were good friends. In fact, the kingdoms of Kaminari and Kouku had been allies since the peace agreement. He let out a slight smile as he recalled their childhood adventures. He would often escape through the window of the palace library while his tutor was not looking and ride his white horse to the Kouku Kingdom to play with the princess. They would explore the forest after which they will get a tremendous amount of scolding from their nannies because they went near the border. They didn't know that time that the other half of the four kingdoms lay on the other side.

They would sometimes battle each other out in a clash of words justifying their argument that one will become a better monarch than the other. He would end up being the winner because he was a boy and she was a girl, as his best friend would put it. She would sulk afterwards because at such a tender age, she knew that her parents would just marry her off to a rightful male ruler. To brighten her mood, the prince would raise his fist and declare that he would beat the unlucky guy up before he could even ask for her hand so that she won't be forced to marry him. They were truly inseparable until his 14th birthday when his father made the decision to send him off to the Royal Patch Academy.

He remembered his best friend's last words on the day he left the kingdom. _If you leave now, I won't speak to you anymore! _He became a little worried. He knew his best friend had that capability to mean whatever she had said. She was a strong-spirited girl anyway. She never shed a tear for anyone, not even for him. However, he held on to his high hopes that she would not take it seriously for she should have already grown into a fine young lady within his three years of absence.

_Surely, she would have missed me, too._

The Prince's musings were momentarily stopped with a shout from a sailor peering through his binoculars, "Land ahoy!" He squinted to verify the sailor's pronouncement. As the ship steered nearer, the magnificent palace of Kaminari situated on the mountain top became visible.

_I'm home._

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><p>End of Chapter I<p>

AUTHOR'S NOTE: I'm temporarily discontinuing my other story, "Secrets of the Patch", the sequel to "Forgotten Memories" to make way for this one. I'm still polishing the story plot of "Secrets" and would resume writing it after this.


	2. Chapter 2: The Princess of Kouku

The Four Kingdoms

By Elle Pellano

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

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><p><strong>Chapter II. The Princess of Kouku<strong>

"Why do I have to attend at that stupid prince's homecoming ball?" the blonde royalty scowled as a big fat middle-aged palace maid scrubbed her back with honey and sugar. She was being bathed in her room's indoor pool for tonight's gathering at the Kaminari palace.

"Why princess? Aren't you happy your friend is back?" the fat nanny waved at the other younger maids to drape the flowing white robe over the princess' slender body while she lifted her up from the pool of milk and rose petals. The maids scurried after her carrying the trail of her robe as she walked to the dressing section of her room.

"Hmph, I hate him! I don't want to see him. He should have stayed with his other stuck up royal foreign friends at the academy. Hey be gentle with that!" The princess glared at a palace maid who unintentionally pulled a strand from her medium-length blond hair as she untangled it.

The royal nanny gave her a stern look. "Now young lady, do I need to reorient you about proper manners?"

The spoiled girl raised an eyebrow and turned her head away. All the palace people knew her for being stubborn. Only her nanny has the full privilege of scolding her without receiving any ill remarks. The princess did not utter a word for a few minutes which the maids took as an opportunity to dress her up quickly. She was clothed with a light pink ball gown which was tailored by the royal seamstress particularly for this event. Two maids were working on fixing her silky smooth hair into a bun and decorating it with pink roses freshly plucked from the palace garden.

"It would have been easier for us to dress your hair had you not cut it." The nanny skillfully curled some loose strands of hair near her face. "Nonetheless, you are very beautiful you're highness." She motioned the young maids to move the large mirror in front of the princess so she can look at herself. "…if only you can erase that ugly frown on your face."

The scowl was replaced with awe as the princess stared at her reflection in the mirror. It's been three years and she has transformed so much - at least in her physique. She's still the same strong-willed girl in the body of a beautiful 17-year old. Just a day ago she had trimmed her long blond hair to the dismay of her nanny. She wanted to show the prince that she did not change one bit. Yes, her tantrums were but a display of bad attitude to mask her true feelings. She wanted to see him for she badly missed her childhood friend although she was a little hurt because he did not send one single telegram since the day he left. _I would scold you non-stop later for abandoning me._

The princess took a deep breath. Nervousness was starting to take over her but she balled her fists and continued with her show which was giving her the strength to shake off the butterflies in her stomach. I do not want to go!" The irritated girl folded her arms across her chest.

"Now where is that resentment coming from my dear daughter?" a sweet voice inquired from behind.

All the maids bowed down their heads as Ayako, queen of Kouku made her regal entrance to her only child's room.

"Mother…" the princess was surprised for getting a visit from her. The queen was always busy with the affairs of the kingdom. She rarely had time to talk with her.

"Your friend has just returned from a tiring journey. Surely you do not want to cause his disappointment for not being there in his ball?" The queen fixed a dangling rose from the princess' bun. "You've grown up my little one. Tonight's ball is a significant event in your life and in the kingdom as well. I hope the spirits will bless you well."

The queen kissed her cheek then gracefully headed for the door leaving her daughter in a confused state. "Let's go now dear, the carriage is waiting. Your father has some important matters to discuss to the King of Kaminari."

The princess, followed by a trail of maids, slightly lifted her skirt so she could walk properly after the queen.

_Just what did Mother mean by that?_

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><p>End of Chapter 2<p> 


	3. Chapter 3: The Surprise

The Four Kingdoms

By Elle Pellano

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

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><p><strong>Chapter III. The Surprise<strong>

"Announcing the arrival of the Kouku Royal Family!"

Court musicians who were lined up to salute guests began blowing their trumpets to welcome dignitaries. The carriage door was pulled open by a pageboy who assisted the royalty in alighting from the vehicle. The two-hour ride had already exhausted the princess and she wished to sleep more than she wished to dance. She did not like fancy gatherings for they bored her tremendously. She forced herself to rise from her comfortable seat and stepped out off the carriage when she saw her father furrowed his eyebrows at her.

Despite being there many times during her childhood, the princess couldn't help but still gawk at the grandness of her best friend's palace. Both Kaminari and Kouku were flourishing kingdoms but the latter was relatively richer, stronger and more powerful than the former. The princess felt her heart beating fast as they climbed the stairs towards the large mahogany doors of the palace grand hall. Orchestra music was emanating from inside which meant that the ball had already started.

She was momentarily blinded with the golden lights from the hanging chandeliers inside the hall while the doors were being opened for them. When her eyes had quite adjusted, she noticed that everybody had paused to witness their grand entrance. The orchestra had ceased playing to add to the solemnity of their arrival. The King and Queen of Kaminari who were resting in their respective thrones at the far center of the hall stood up to welcome them with open arms. The prince's seat was still empty.

"Oh look at you now, my princess. You're not a little girl anymore," the queen of Kaminari kissed her cheek after greeting her mother. She curtsied in response and left the adults to themselves while they had their short conversation.

As if on cue, the orchestra resumed their playing with a lively tune which invited the guests for a dance. The princess was caught in the flurry of skirts as the women pulled their partners to the center of the hall and began to skip and twirl. She was getting dizzy with the energy and vigor around her that the room began to spin. In addition, her shoes were killing her as she was not accustomed to wearing high heels as a fine princess should. She felt her legs shaking in sheer exhaustion and was about to fall down to her knees when a strong pair of arms caught her halfway.

"It's been a long time." The prince of Kaminari grinned at her.

She snubbed him and began to walk towards one of the opened doors leading to the balcony.

"Hey, wait up!" he followed her outside.

The princess kicked her shoes off and sat on the stony balustrade. She was slightly relieved with the sight of thousands of stars above her. She thought her annoyance would subside until she felt the prince's warm presence when he reluctantly sat beside her.

"You have never changed, haven't you?" he chuckled. He did not get any response.

"It's cold here, we should go inside."

There was still no response.

The prince sighed. He knew it. His friend did mean to impose her threat. "I'm sorry for leaving. It was father's decision."

"Don't be. Your father's order comes first," mumbled the blond girl without glancing at him.

The prince let out a slight smile. Her speaking to him again was a sign that reconciliation must be under way. "So… do you forgive me?"

She finally faced him, "Oh yes, in fact I have prepared a welcome gift for you."

The bewildered prince tried to dock as she raised her hand but it was too late. He did not expect to receive again one of his friend's heavy slaps.

"What was that for?" he screamed in anger.

"That's for not hearing a word from you for the last three years."

The prince rubbed his red left cheek and lowered his gaze. He was guilty of it and he knew he deserved it. "It's because the head master is strict with our correspondence outside the academy. You see, the heirs of most kingdoms even those who are in mutual enmity are attending the same school. It was a means to avoid leaking secrets or plotting against enemy kingdoms."

The princess breathed deeply. After some time she let out a sigh then mumbled, "I understand. It's just that… well, I think I missed you."

"You think? Why not admit that you did miss me?"

"Argh! You haven't changed as much did you? You're still the same stuck up prince I knew."

The boy smirked and was about to say something when his nanny appeared by the door.

"So there you are. We've been looking for you two. His Highness is about to make an announcement you do not want to miss. Come now children."

They both grunted and followed the nanny towards the grand hall.

When they re-entered the hall, everybody was facing towards their direction, clapping their hands and congratulating them at the same time.

The princess reached for her friend's left arm for support and asked in a whisper with a hint of confusion, "What's going on?"

The prince ignored her and looked a bit shock as well.

King Yuan of Kaminari's voice resounded amidst the applause of the people, "Dear friends and guests, I thank you all for attending the engagement party of my heir, Prince Ren Tao of Kaminari and his future wife, Princess Anna Kyouyama of Kouku."

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><p>End of Chapter 3<p> 


	4. Chapter 4: The Boy in the Garden

The Four Kingdoms

By Elle Pellano

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

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><p><strong>Chapter IV. The Boy in the Garden<strong>

King Hideki Kyouyama of Kouku noticed the distress look on his daughter's face. There was no doubt she was not happy with the announcement. He knew that his daughter despised being thrown into an arranged marriage since she was young even if it were with a childhood friend. However, King Yuan had asked for a proof of Kouku's allegiance to his kingdom after their argument two weeks ago.

_FLASHBACK_

"_So are you saying I cannot expect your support in this endeavor?" the king of Kaminari said between gritted teeth._

"_That is right. It's beyond my principle to allow the involvement of my kingdom in your affairs."_

"_Is that so? Now I'm starting to doubt where your loyalties lie, King Hideki."_

"_My forefathers forged an alliance with Kaminari since the peace treaty. It is a tradition that I am willing to keep."_

"_Prove it then."_

"_What would convince you my friend?" _

"_I ask your daughter's hand in marriage in behalf of my son."_

"_That is something I have to ponder on…"_

"_It will permanently seal your kingdom's allegiance to mine. Besides the peace treaty forbids the merging of any two kingdoms. Your daughter can renounce the 'Tao' family name and can still become queen of Kouku even if she's married to my son. Your kingdom will continue to enjoy independence. I'll keep my word on that."_

"_My daughter would not like the idea."_

"_Are our children's feelings important? Maybe you are not aware of the fact that my son has been a long time friend of hers. If not my son, to whom are you going to marry off your daughter? Surely you will not present her to some opportunistic distant relative who's dying to rise into power. I'm also positive that you will not give her to the despicable royals of Kasai and Kouri, am I right?"_

_The King of Kouku grew silent._

"_My friend, we need not tell our children of our decision. We will surprise them in a ball. An arranged marriage is inevitable among the royalty. It's their fate."_

"_I guess you're right," he finally conceded._

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><p>"What?" Princess Anna released her grip on her friend's arm and stared in disbelief at her father. The King of Kouku avoided her eyes and proceeded with his conversation with one of his acquaintances. He was blocked from her view when the guests began dancing again at the sound of waltz music which steered the attention away from the engaged couple.<p>

The dazed princess was about to rush to her father to demand an explanation from him but the prince suddenly bowed down before her, "May I ask the princess of Kouku for a dance?"

"Ren, I don't dance and why do you remain so calm? You should have been bursting with outrage for this deception on the part of our fathers," the princess fumed with anger.

"Don't make a raucous here, Anna," her fiancé mumbled. "This was supposed to be a joyous occasion."

After much consideration, the princess acknowledged his plight and let him took her hands so they can join the waltz. They were silent for a couple of minutes. However, the princess won't give up on her argument so easily. "Why do I need to shut my mouth? Is it because I would bring humiliation to your father's house?"

The prince gazed at her with pained eyes and answered her with another question, "Don't you want to marry me?"

The girl's anger seemed to have dissipated in an instant, "It's not like that Ren. It's just that… it's so sudden."

"Oh yes, I forgot you hated surprises," teased her fiancé.

The princess pulled herself from him and clenched her fists, "And you forgot that this is the fate I have been trying to avoid."

"You're trying to avoid becoming my wife?"

"No, I'm trying to avoid being forced into an arranged marriage because I'm not deemed the rightful heir to the throne."

The prince took her hand once again and pulled her into a door leading to the palace garden. They stopped in front of a statue of the prince's deceased grandfather. "Let it go, Anna. It can't be helped. It's the fate of being a royalty."

"Don't you sometimes wish to go against your fate, to go against your father's orders? I'm quite disappointed with you, Ren. I thought you disliked being told what to do."

"I have duties to perform as a prince - duties such as leaving the kingdom for quite some time to study in a royal academy. Besides, I do not dislike being told to marry you." The prince brushed away the strands of hair from his fiancé's face, "You look beautiful tonight."

The blond princess stopped his hand from caressing her cheek. "You are a very dear FRIEND to me, Ren."

The prince ignored her words and reached for a small box in his pocket, "I don't care if you only see this as a royal decree from one of the coldest monarchs in the land." He opened the box and gently took a silver necklace with a rose pendant which he put around her fair neck. "This is a souvenir from me. I hope someday you would realize that it was more than princely duties that made me agree to marry my best friend."

Prince Ren started to walk away towards the palace entrance. "I believe what you want now is some time alone. I'll be waiting inside if you need me."

The princess sat down on the concrete as soon as her fiancé disappeared from her view. She was really tired. She gently stroked the rose pendant hanging on her neck and felt a little guilty for her attitude towards the prince. "I'm sorry, Ren," she spoke to the air as if her friend was still there. "You are very important to me. It's just that… I am not in love with you. But I do not want to hurt you. Should I surrender to my fate and accept what has been decreed? Oh, I hate being a princess!"

"Why?" a voice spoke from behind her.

The princess immediately rose to her feet and scanned the surroundings with her eyes to find its source.

"Being a royalty is the best thing in the word. It's a good excuse for being lazy."

"Where are you? Reveal yourself!"

"Over here."

The puzzled girl rested her eyes on the statue of Ren's grandfather. Has it come to life to haunt her for hesitating to marry his grandson but why does it sound younger?

"I'm sorry for doubting, I know Prince Ren will do anything to make me happy."

"That's what I think, too. I can see that he likes you a lot."

It replied. Now she's beginning to have goose bumps.

"I'm sorry if I don't see him more than a friend right now. I'm sure I'll learn how to love him eventually," the princess bowed down before the statue.

"Oh, so you're accepting your fate? What happened to the resistant lady I heard earlier? And why are you bowing down to a statue?"

The princess raised her head and had the second shock of her life. A boy her age whose dark hair was tied up in a pony tail was standing beside the statue and grinning goofily at her. He was dressed like a palace servant offering wine and deserts inside the grand hall.

"How long have you been there?" she asked irritably.

"Err… I was sleeping behind that statue when I was woken up by noises. I overheard your arguments with your fiancé, I'm sorry." The boy brushed off the leaves sticking from the back of his head.

"Do you want to die? It's rude to eavesdrop on somebody else's conversation. Why are you not working inside the grand hall?"

"I'm sorry princess but my duty is over here." the boy started to walk away.

"I will make it sure that King Yuan will hear about your laid back attitude. You will be fired," the furious princess shouted at him.

The boy did not seem alarmed at all. He continued walking and spoke as he left, "The Great Spirit had already laid out different paths before us by the time that we were born. You have the power to choose which path to take, Anna. You'll be surprised that often than not, your choices would eventually lead you to the path that was really meant for you. Congratulations on your engagement day!" The boy disappeared into the darkness.

She was prepared to run after him to give him one of her hard slaps for intruding her peace had Prince Ren not come back from the grand hall.

"Hey, are you alright? You were taking some time so I went out to fetch you."

"I'm fine. I was just… talking to your grandfather's statue."

The prince gave her a quizzical look, "My grandfather's statue? What did you tell it?" He decided to ride along.

"I said that I promise to be a good wife to his grandson."

The prince smiled and held her hand as they strolled along the stony path towards the palace entrance.

Princess Anna looked back into the darkness where the boy in the garden disappeared into before stepping into the lighted room.

_I chose to accept the fate of a royal blood._

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><p>End of Chapter 4<p> 


	5. Chapter 5: The Spies from Kasai

The Four Kingdoms

By Elle Pellano

A/N: Thanks to Melike and natsudragneel for the reviews!

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

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><p><strong>Chapter V. The Spies from Kasai<strong>

Prince Ren looked intently at the floating leaves in his cup of tea. It had been a long time since he last enjoyed his favorite drink in his magnificent room but his train of thoughts on the recent events had been preventing him from doing so. The Kaminari palace was peaceful again as the guests have already returned to their respective homes.

"You seemed preoccupied," King Yuan entered his chamber and waved at all the young maids attending his son to leave them alone.

"Father," he stood up and bowed his head before him.

His father motioned him to take his seat while he settled himself comfortably in another chair across him. "Did you like my homecoming gift for you?" he asked.

"It was truly…unexpected," Prince Ren held on to his cup tightly. "… but I couldn't stop wondering why Anna and I, of all people, were not properly informed beforehand that we are to attend our own engagement ball."

"That's the beauty of surprises, my boy. You've been away for three years. We wanted to make your short vacation here memorable. Nonetheless, I'm certain that you are very pleased with it, are you not?" the king looked amused.

"Even if I was, I can sense that Anna still did not seem to like the idea."

"Why not? You are a good-looking man, intelligent, skillful, and the heir to the most powerful kingdom in our land. Kouku can rest on a formidable wall for the rest of its existence once it formally seals its allegiance to Kaminari through your marriage."

"Now, I'm beginning to think that this is a political move after all. I know you father, you won't enter into a deal unless it's a win-win situation. Have you forgotten the terms of the peace treaty?"

"No two kingdoms should merge. Is that what you are pertaining to? I assure you, my son, Kouku will maintain its political independence. The Kyouyamas are a strong clan. I'm absolutely positive they will not allow anyone to tamper with their authority."

The prince fixed his gaze on his father while sipping the now cold tea. Doubt was painted all over his face.

The king let out an audible sigh, "I'm serving you your happiness in a silver platter yet you do not want to accept it without questions. I am confused. I thought you wanted the girl since you were a young lad."

The prince nearly spat out the liquid in his mouth. "You knew about my feelings for the Princess of Kouku?" His cheeks had a tinge of pink.

"Of course, I am your father."

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><p>The forest seemed to come alive every night yet he did not shiver while he trudge his way through the eerie darkness and haunting sounds coming from its inhabitants. In fact, he was used to as it had been his home for more than three months. He smiled to himself as he patted his bag containing the loot from his mission that night. He and his men would once again enjoy good food, a luxury they had been craving for since they stationed themselves in Kaminari. A faint crackle of bonfire signaled him that he was nearing his destination. He made his way through the thick bushes and finally found their camp.<p>

"Welcome back, Prince Yoh," a tall guy who had been feeding the fire with twigs greeted him enthusiastically. "I see you have brought us something."

He grinned sheepishly and threw the bag to him. "It's from the gathering in Kaminari. Please help yourself, Ryuu." The tall guy began distributing the food to the other members of the band.

"How was it?" inquired a very short boy with blond hair who hungrily munched on an apple given to him.

"It was err… surprising, Manta," the prince answered and sat down by the bonfire.

"Why so, young master?" This time a serious-looking man with long white hair asked.

"It was just an engagement ball - far from what father had expected."

"Oh, I smell a wedding!" Ryuu clasped his hands together in excitement. "Who are getting married?"

"The heir of Kaminari and the princess of Kouku," Prince Yoh removed the string that was holding his black hair up in a ponytail.

"Now that is something to worry about," the white-haired man rubbed his chin.

"You should relax, Amidamaru. A wedding's supposed to be a happy and peaceful event." The prince lied down on the cold earth as he was tired from the physical labor he rendered all evening. "You can start unwinding by removing that war suit of yours. I bet you attracted unwarranted attention when you went on spying in town."

"Don't be too laidback, young master. The joining of these two kingdoms is a threat to Kasai," the warrior scolded him. "You need not reprimand me for wearing this armored suit for I blended well with the townspeople earlier."

Ryuu sweatdropped. _You were wearing a brown full body cloak to hide that armor, you fool. So much for being discrete._

Manta came to the defense of the prince. "We were here for three months yet we found no evidence that the other two kingdoms are plotting against us. Kaminari and Kouku have formed their alliance since time immemorial. It's the same thing as Kasai and Kouri's sworn friendship. If they wanted to threaten Kasai they should have done so a century ago when the wounds of war were still fresh."

"I agree with Manta. Perhaps King Mikihisa's conspiracy theories were nothing but hunches," Ryuu supported his little friend.

"So it's three out of four, it's settled then." Prince Yoh chuckled. "As ordered by my father, tomorrow you three will go back to Kasai to report everything. Have a safe journey!"

"What?" his three companions shouted in disbelief.

"You are not coming with us?" Manta wanted to know if he heard him right.

"I'm not through with my adventures yet. Besides, if I go back to the palace they would resume my boring royal training," the prince yawned.

"It's dangerous to be wandering off, young master. At least, take me with you so that you'll have someone reliable," Amidamaru presented himself to the annoyance of the other two.

"Did you just say we're not strong enough to protect the prince?" grumbled Ryuu.

The white-haired warrior ignored him. "Young master, the king will be extremely displeased with your frequent absence from the palace. BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH. If you would be caught trespassing in Kaminari, you'll be executed. It's a violation of the peace treaty of the four kingdoms. BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH."

The prince covered his ears to block off his guardian's nagging.

"BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH . Do you know the implication of this? They will suspect you of spying. BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH . Your mistake will lead us all to war. BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH . You are the heir to the throne, Prince Yoh. BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH . You should be thankful the right was given to you and not to your twin brother who is as irresponsible as you are!"

"I understand," he whispered before dozing off.

"Did he really listen to everything I said?" Amidamaru was exasperated.

"Quit it already. For one of Kasai's fiercest warriors, you talk a lot Amidamaru," Ryuu positioned himself on his makeshift bed.

"I guess he was really tired. We should sleep now, too." Manta smiled and curled up into a ball.

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><p>The next day…<p>

Ryuu happily stretched out his arms and took a huge breath of fresh morning air. Excitement was in his blood for they will be coming back to their beloved kingdom today. They will be enjoying the comforts of the grand palace again.

_No more spying around town and being mistaken for a pervert. _

He kicked of the pile of leaves which served as his bed for several nights in Kaminari.

_No more dirty ground to sleep on._

He threw soil over the dying flame of the bonfire.

_No more cold lonely nights. _

He snickered at the hilarious forms of the sleeping Manta and Amidamaru. The former's face was almost kissing the latter's foot.

_No more loud-snoring, funny-looking men_.

He explored the camp for the last time using his eyes. Maybe he would miss it, too. Then a thought suddenly struck him. There was something unusual in the camp that he couldn't put his finger on. He roamed his eyes around for the second time to find the peculiarity.

_No more pi-pri…._

An earsplitting scream reverberated through the whole forest.

Manta woke up in alarm.

Amidamaru jumped up from his bed of dried leaves and swung out his steel sword which only missed Manta by an inch. "What happened Ryuu?"

"Prince Yoh's gone…"

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><p>End of Chapter 5<p> 


	6. Chapter 6: A Visit to Kouku

The Four Kingdoms

By Elle Pellano

A/N: Thanks for the reviews yohXanna and Saber! I'll try to stick with the original personalities of the Mankin gang although I cannot fully promise it as some scenes require them to be slightly out of character to be effective. Nevertheless, I hope you would still like the story. =)

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

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><p><strong>Chapter VI. A Visit to Kouku<strong>

Prince Ren could hear his heart pounding as he folded the sleeves of his riding garments. He was outside the palace preparing for his momentary departure from Kaminari. His black horse was already taken out of the stable and was currently being groomed by its caretaker in front of him while waiting for his signal to leave. He was to visit his fiancé that day and he found it silly that he was actually tense of meeting her again after their engagement ball.

_Snap out of it. It's not like you're not used to seeing her in Kouku._ He scolded himself.

"It's been a long time, my prince," a familiar voice greeted him from the palace's main door.

He turned around and gave out a slight smile. "Bason, what brought you here? I heard from father that you were promoted as a general in the royal army."

"His Highness who has bestowed his trust and confidence on this lowly warrior called for me yet he has to attend to some affairs first," said the man in full armor, "so I took this opportunity to look for you after being told you're here for a vacation. You seemed to be embarking on a journey, sire."

"I'm off to Kouku."

"Yes, indeed. I heard the good news about you and Princess Anna, my prince. Congratulations! I'm happy that one of your secret wishes ever since you were young will now be fulfilled."

The Prince felt his face heating up in embarrassment. Was he really that obvious before? Even Bason, his former body guard noticed. Nonetheless, he regained his composure and threateningly asked, "I'd watch my tongue if I were you. Do you want to lose your generalship, Bason?"

"Ah my prince, you have grown up but your lack of sense of humor still persists."

The prince grumbled and motioned the caretaker to bring him his horse. He mounted it and a palace maid handed him the bouquet of white and pink roses which the gardener had picked up earlier.

"Do you want me to escort you, my prince?" The warrior offered his services once more.

"I wish to travel alone. Besides, have you forgotten that I'm fully capable of riding there on my own?"

"Forgive me, my prince. It was stupid of me not to remember that you are quite adept at it. How could I have forgotten that you were always successful in escaping my supervision especially when it came to visiting the princess?"

"I'll pretend I did not hear that, you big baboon. I should be going now. Until we meet again, Bason."

* * *

><p>"Your highness, forgive me for my intrusion but you have a visitor!" a young palace maid excitedly informed the princess who was keeping herself busy in the palace library.<p>

Princess Anna slammed down the book that she was reading, "Tell whoever it was that I'm not here and will you stop running around? It's quite annoying!"

"But, my lady, it is your fiancé."

Prince Ren appeared by the door. He had invited himself inside. "I was away for three years and I find myself not welcomed here anymore."

The palace maid bowed and left them to themselves. The prince blushed as he gave her the bouquet of roses, "Here."

"You have a penchant for this type of flowers, haven't you?" The princess accepted the gift despite her coldness.

"Well, it reminds me of you."

"Why? Because I'm someone who would let you bleed first before you can hold me?"

The prince became speechless. It was a failed attempt to sound romantic and he had no idea how to respond to his fiancé's sarcasm. In truth, he's completely ignorant when it comes to this matter. He made a mental note to himself to ask for tips from his friends when he returns to the academy two weeks from now. He kept on assuring himself that there's still enough time to sweeten their relationship as the wedding will only take place when he turns 18.

"Thanks anyway," the blond princess muttered when she stood up to put the flowers in a nearby vase. She scolded herself for being harsh on her fiancé when she already promised to be a good wife for him. She just couldn't figure out how she would make herself see him as more than a friend in a span of six months before they get married. Their temporary parting would also be a big hindrance as her fiancé still had to finish his studies at the academy.

She was already taking too long arranging the roses in the vase when the prince suddenly took her hand and pulled her outside.

"Ren! Where the hell are you taking me?"

* * *

><p>A rush of good memories filled Princess Anna's head as she sat down by the river bank. She did not care if her dress got soiled. Let the maids clean the dirt off. She was elated because after three long years, she did not expect to step foot on this land again. This was their secret place when they were children - their refuge from the strictness and formalities in the palace.<p>

The prince sat down beside his fiancé after securing his horse on a nearby tree with a sturdy rope. "I miss this place," the heir of Kaminari took a pebble and threw it into the river. "We used to play here. Do you remember those times?"

The princess nodded. When they were innocent and young, they imagined that the whole forest was their kingdom. The river flowing through it was the moat protecting their castle. Invisible enemies from the other side of the river would attempt to conquer their land but the two of them will fight the invaders by throwing rocks at them. She was the fearless queen and he was the valiant king of their make-believe realm. It was ironic that this child's play would somehow come true.

"Have you ever wondered what's on the other side of the river?" she was dying to ask him this ever since she was a child.

"It's the other two kingdoms, Kasai and Kouri."

"I know that stupid. But have you ever wondered what's in those two kingdoms?"

"I'm not the least interested. We will be killed before we find out what's beyond that part of the forest, anyway."

"Well, I don't think I would die when I cross that river and get to the other side."

"That's reckless Anna!"

"Why? I don't see any royal guards over there."

"You'll never get to the other side. Based on old stories, the Great Spirit lived in this river. Nobody would dare cross it for fear of encountering the wrath of the Great Spirit."

"Then why had we thrown rocks at it when we played here before?" The princess raised an eyebrow.

"Those are just folktales, Anna. Only old people believe them." Prince Ren fixed his eyes on his fiancé then began talking in a grave voice, "I heard from rumors that the king of Kasai is a monster with the head of a bird and the body of a man. They also said that he had a son with two identical heads sharing one body."

"And I thought you don't even believe in those tales," the girl rolled her eyes not feeling scared at all.

"Well, you don't want to drop the subject." The prince grabbed a bigger pebble and threw it into the flowing water.

"You mentioned about Kasai. What about Kouri?" his fiancé seemed to show more interest in the other two kingdoms than in their supposed-to-be budding relationship.

"The people there were thought to be in league with evil dwarves who dwell in Butterbur. However, I believe they pose no threat to us since Kouri is said to be the smallest among the four kingdoms. The princess of Kouri is also attending the Royal Patch Academy. Judging from her manners, they seemed to be a weak race of royals."

"Did you attempt to talk to her just to get clues?"

"No, not even once. Aside from the fact that I follow a code of conduct when it comes to conversing with the enemies, that girl is very loud, annoying and lacks the refinement that is expected of a princess."

"Nonetheless, her parents were fair enough to send her off to a foreign school to educate her and let her see the world." There was a tinge of envy in the princess' voice.

The prince realized where this conversation was heading to. "I bet your nanny will get furious if she found out we went here again." He stood up and offered his hand to his fiancé, "Let's go back home."

Princess Anna took his hand and let him pull her up. Her husband-to-be started to walk towards the tree where his horse was tied but the princess did not move. She instead stooped down, took a pebble then threw it into the river with all her might. She did not wait for it to land for she quickly turned around and run to her fiancé who was already mounted on his horse. She was not able to witness how it landed on the other side of the river.

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><p>End of Chapter 6<p> 


	7. Chapter 7: The Fallen Royals

The Four Kingdoms

By Elle Pellano

A/N: Thanks for the reviews everybody! Although the mood of this chapter is not really a pleasant one, I'd like to greet you all a Happy New Year!

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

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><p><strong>Chapter VII. The Fallen Royals<strong>

The prince watched the darkening sky from the balcony of his room. Something felt not quite right that day. A storm was brewing and he was advised by the palace people not to proceed with his visit to Kouku, a habit that he had established after the engagement ball. He convinced himself that the gloomy weather might have been causing his anxiety since that morning for he missed being with his fiancé. A week from now, he would be returning to the Royal Patch Academy and being stuck inside the Kaminari palace was such a waste of precious time.

The sky roared with thunder and lightning flashed from behind the thick black clouds. The wind unleashed its terrifying howl and heavy rain drops started to fall down on the earth. The prince sighed. He cannot stop the inevitable coming of the storm.

* * *

><p>"Why the long face, your highness?" the royal nanny inquired as she poured tea on the blond royalty's cup. She received no response. The girl had been sulking in her room all day. Perhaps the rain had the effect of lowering down her spirits.<p>

"Disappointed that your fiancé did not show up, perhaps?" she teased her to lighten her mood.

"I'm not asking for your opinion!" the princess snapped.

"Well that confirms it," the nanny whispered to herself. "Maybe you should get some rest to clear your mind off things. The night's getting old. Surely you do not want dark circles to form beneath your beautiful eyes. Come let's get you changed with your night robes."

"I do not want to sleep yet."

"Then what do you want to do?"

Princess Anna did not answer her.

"Maybe I should leave you alone," the nanny grabbed the empty teapot and headed for the door.

"He'll be leaving again next week," the girl finally spoke before she could go outside.

The fat nanny smiled. The arrogant princess was opening herself up to her. She approached the tea table and put down the pot that she was holding. She did not wait for the royalty to permit her to take a seat. The princess wouldn't offer her anyway.

"..and you're bothered by it tremendously?"

The blond girl nodded without looking at her directly.

"Well who would have thought that the prince's strategy is actually working?" the nanny chuckled.

"When Ren leaves, I'll be alone in this boring old palace again."

"Please don't say that, your highness. Your parents will always be there for you."

"That is something they have yet to prove for all I can remember is there absence from my life."

"Isn't securing your future good enough to prove that they love you?" The nanny sadly asked her.

"They did not ask my opinion when they decided on MY future," grumbled the princess.

The fat nanny gently squeezed the girl's hand, "While the king and queen are busy with the affairs of Kouku, you can count on me to be always here."

* * *

><p>Later that night...<p>

Princess Anna twisted and turned on her soft bed. No matter how many times she had called for him, the God of Sleep did not bestow what she was asking of him. The storm aggravated her restlessness for the strong wind kept its constant hammering on her windows. She covered her ears with a pillow to lessen the noise but it was not enough to mute down a frightening scream which resonated from downstairs.

The princess immediately jumped off her bed and ran outside to check on the source. It was then that she noticed that the three guards stationed on the hallway were sprawled on the ground. They appeared to be in a deep slumber which infuriated her for they were clearly slacking off. She shook them violently to no avail. They seemed to have lost the capability to wake up.

"What's going on?" her heart beat fast as she ran towards the stairs. What she saw totally appalled her. The guards who were stationed at the front door were also in the same state as those in the hallway leading to her room. However, she spotted her nanny bathing in her own pool of blood nearby. The princess rushed downstairs and trembled as she held her personal maid's hand.

The fat nanny managed to let out a weak smile, "Princess…"

Life was slowly draining from her.

"Who, who did this to you?" she couldn't stop her tears from falling.

"I heard noises… coming from… from the front door… I went out to check... I.. I saw them..." The nanny coughed out blood. "Escape… now… They are going… to kill you…"

Princess Anna gasped. She couldn't believe that enemies have infiltrated the well-secured Kouku palace and were now committing murders unknown to the rest of the kingdom. There was no one there to help. The thought of her parents suddenly struck her and she quickly dashed towards the hall leading to the king and queen's room.

"Mother! Father!" she called for them as she darted through the chamber's opened door.

"Anna!" King Hideki bore a cut on his left shoulder. He had his sword out and was protecting his terrified queen from behind his back. Two people, each wearing a white mask and long cloak turned their heads toward the princess' direction.

"We nearly forgot about her," a small voice was heard from behind the mask of the shorter of the pair. If he were not brandishing a dangerous spear with him, he could have easily been mistaken for a child because of his stature.

"I'll take care of the little princess," the other one with a goatee grinned wickedly as he prepared to strike the girl with his sword. The king jumped in front of his daughter and blocked his attack. At the same time, Queen Ayako lunged herself at the intruder so that they both fell to the floor. She pinned him down with the weight of her body.

"Get off me, you b*tch!" screamed the bearded guy.

"Please go, Anna!" her mother pleaded to her but the princess remained on the spot. She was just a foot away from the door yet she didn't have the will to abandon her parents.

Suddenly, the little guy appeared behind the queen and before anyone could stop him, he had stabbed her with his spear, "I do NOT like being ignored."

"Ayako!" King Hideki wailed in despair.

The guy with the goatee pushed the lifeless queen off him, "You almost hit me there you midget!" He yelled at his companion.

The king took the killers' momentary bickering as an opportunity to shove his daughter out of the room. "GO!" He pushed and slammed the chamber's door closed.

Princess Anna pounded on the wooden door, "Father! Don't do this! They will kill you!"

She heard a clash of sword and curses being thrown back and forth from inside. However, the battle was abrupt and the commotion in the royal chamber ended with a blood-stained spear piercing through the door. The princess dropped down to her knees as realization of her parents' death dawned on her. The door was slowly pushed open to reveal her father's impaled body on it. She gathered her remaining strength and sanity up and scampered away from the chamber as fast as her legs could carry her.

"Run all you can princess but we will pursue you to your death!" the man with a goatee taunted her.

The princess was shaking all over but she couldn't let them catch her. The adrenaline rush allowed her to swing the heavy front door open so that she could escape the palace. The storm had grown stronger but there was nothing worse than the situation she was currently in right now. She continued to run into the forest hoping to find the trail leading to the village closest to the palace but fate had brought her to a rampaging river.

She can hear the amused laughter of the tall killer as he approached her. The little one trailed behind him as if marching gallantly with his bloody spear.

"Looks like you have no place to go, Princess," he slowly unsheathed his sword as if trying to prolong her agony.

Princess Anna stepped backed. She was just inches away from the angry waters. _It's the river or them._ It doesn't matter now since death would claim her either way. She closed her eyes then jumped to the disbelief of her pursuers. The strong current immediately carried her away until her struggling body was not seen anymore.

"Shit!" the tall man attempted to go after the girl.

"That's not necessary," the short guy turned around to leave. "She fell into the Great Spirit's river. She's good enough as dead."

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><p>End of Chapter 7<p> 


	8. Chapter 8: The Bad News

The Four Kingdoms

By Elle Pellano

A/N: Thanks for the continuous positive reviews, Melike and Saber. Unfortunately, classes will be resuming tomorrow so I could only update this fic every weekend. Please bear with me. ^_^.

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

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><p><strong>Chapter VIII. The Bad News<strong>

Prince Ren woke up with a start. He surveyed his surroundings with his eyes just to ensure that he was really in his room, that the scream he heard was mainly part of a nightmare and that he was not in a dreamland of some sort. He rose from his bed and settled himself by a wide window to feel the warmth of the sun's rays pouring into his room. The storm had come and gone too quickly. Maybe the smiling sun could help him recover from the chilling nightmare he just had. The blood-curdling scream of the princess after she called out his name repeatedly rang in his mind. It just sounded too real.

There was a soft knock from behind his door which partially irritated him. He was going to inform his early visitor that he did not wish to be bothered that morning but it was the grave face of his queen mother that appeared by the doorway.

"Ren, your father and I need to talk to you about something."

* * *

><p>The morning meal with his parents was unusually quiet. Since he returned from the academy, breakfast had been a regular time for the king to inquire about his education after which he would enumerate all his scholastic feats. However, that particular morning, his father wore a grim expression and was keeping quiet throughout the whole meal. He also noticed his mother's swollen eyes as if she had been crying recently. Maybe his parents had a serious argument this time for the queen was not the sensitive type. He only saw her cry during the wedding of his older sister with a royalty from another land.<p>

"You seemed to have been weeping all morning, dear mother," the prince tried to break the deafening silence. "I could only deduce two things: that you shed tears over a hurtful argument," he took a bite from his sausage, "or that you were mourning for someone who had just died."

A knife was dropped on the floor.

"Oh, how clumsy!"Queen Ran reached for it under the table in time to hide a teardrop.

The king stopped eating and laid down his utensils on his nearly empty plate. "There is no use delaying this painful news to you, my son."

"But Yuan, we are not through with breakfast yet," his wife told him sternly as she brushed away the tears from her eyes.

"What bad news had made my dear mother cry?" asked the prince.

His father rested his chin on his two clasped hands on the dining table. He did not speak for a few minutes as if trying to construct a better, less shocking explanation for the bleakness of the morning.

"A messenger from Kouku came this morning," he started. "He told me that… something happened to the royal family."

"Something… bad happened?" The prince felt his chest tightening.

"They were murdered last night."

* * *

><p>Prince Ren who refused to be accompanied by his royal bodyguards rushed to the kingdom of Kouku. He needed to find out by himself if the news of his fiancé and her was parents' killings were nothing but a sick joke. He instantly alighted from his exhausted horse the minute he reached the palace. All the maids and servants had gathered by the front door. Many let out mournful and heart-breaking wails while some seemed utterly confused. He paid no heed to the shower of condolences to him and dashed inside where he was prevented by one of the king's faithful generals from storming upstairs. A platoon of royal guards were scattered over the place examining every nook and cranny as if looking for evidences of the crime that had just occurred.<p>

"I need to see her, don't stop me!" he tried to push the general away only to be firmly held by two of the palace guards.

"Your Highness, the king and queen died a violent death. I cannot let you see their miserable state. It would be too unbearable for you."

The prince spotted a palace guard in the act of covering his fiancé's dead nanny with a white blanket. "Then allow me to at least take a glimpse of my fiancé." he finally stopped resisting which prompted the general to signal the two royal guards to release him and leave.

"Unfortunately Your Highness, the princess is nowhere to be found."

"What do you mean?"

"…We cannot find her body. "

A spark of hope ignited within the prince. "Anna is alive then."

"I'm sorry sire but we cannot guarantee you that. We ruled out the possibility that she had been kidnapped by the perpetrators of this heinous crime. There is a strong evidence that the intention of the intruders was really the murder of the royal family since the palace servants and guards were spared. They appeared to have been drugged to a deep sleep. According to the maids, that one over there…" the general pointed to the cadaver of the princess' nanny, "… had missed eating the dinner served to all palace personnel last night as she had spent most of her time attending to the princess. There must be some sort of drug that was mixed in with their food. This is turning out to be a well-planned crime against the Kouku royalty."

"But you said that the body is missing! She could have escaped," there was desperation in the prince's voice.

"We do agree with you on that point, Your Highness that the princess had attempted to escape. There were three pairs of footprints on the dried mud, an indication that there was a chase from the palace to the forest. The trail of footprints ended near the kingdom's border though. One of the royal guards found this hanging by a protruding tree root by the river. I believe it belongs to the princess."

The general handed the prince the familiar necklace with the rose pendant.

"The killers might have murdered her and dumped her body into the river. If she ever did escape, there's little possibility she could have survived the strong current brought about by the storm."

Prince Ren lowered down his gaze to stroke the piece of jewelry in his hand. "She is still alive, I just know it."

The general thought otherwise but he tried to lift up the prince's spirits, "I have asked my men to search the entire kingdom for the princess. We will keep you updated with the latest developments." He looked at the young lad with pitiful eyes, "I extend my deepest condolences to you, Your Highness. We will do our best to seek justice for the royal family." He patted his shoulder and left him alone.

* * *

><p>He was really hesitant in coming back home that day but he had this odd feeling that he had to. He could imagine how furious his father would be the minute he set his eyes on him upon his return to the Kasai palace. He would punish him by making him clean the stables by himself all afternoon. He picked up a pebble and threw it into the river that he was following while looking for the trail leading towards home. Never mind the old stories that the Great Spirit dwelled in it. He would rather face its wrath than his father's. He wished for the Great Spirit to send him an obstacle of some sort so that he can further delay his return to the kingdom for the palace people would make him train hard again as he was the appointed heir to the throne. He was enjoying the carefree life of a lone commoner who had travelled throughout the four kingdoms amidst the death penalty being imposed for trespassing. He was pampered in the palace before but that was only until he turned ten when his twin brother went away and he found himself suddenly being burdened with the responsibilities of a future king.<p>

_I wonder how my brother is doing… _He thought of his twin who had been gone for more than seven years after 'that' incident which left an awful mark on his father's face. The King was tremendously enraged as he had stripped his brother's right to the throne and had sent him off to live in a close friend's kingdom in another land. His twin had not visited Kasai since then and if he would ever return to the kingdom, he would easily recognize him since they were identical.

His stomach began to grumble. He hadn't eaten breakfast that morning and his dinner last night only consisted of a piece of bread given to him by an old woman from Kouku as a gratitude for helping her fix her wagon's wheel. His state was so desolate one might have thought him as a beggar than a descendant of the powerful Asakura monarchy. He decided to take a sip from the refreshing waters of the river to momentarily appease his hungry stomach.

An obstacle would only exacerbate the rebellion of his inner digestive fluids. He did not need the delay after all. Then again, the Great Spirit had already granted his wish for he spotted a blond lady wearing muddy night robes lying face down near the river bank.

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><p>End of Chapter 8<p> 


	9. Chapter 9: Hellos and Goodbyes

The Four Kingdoms

By Elle Pellano

A/N: Sorry for the delay. I had been busy with school work. Anyway, I'm posting a relatively long chapter to make up for it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

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><p><strong>Chapter IX. Hellos and Goodbyes<strong>

Prince Yoh watched as the witch doctor attended to the blond girl whom he had found unconscious by the river bank and burning with fever. He immediately brought her to Faust, the former medicine man of the Kasai palace and a dear friend of his since he was a child. The witch doctor and his wife were banished from the kingdom after failing to remedy the king's burnt face brought about by his twin brother. The Usuis of Kouri would not accept them as they were allies with Kasai and the other two kingdoms were simply forbidden to Kasai's and Kouri's residents. Since they had nowhere to go, they settled down in a secluded part of the forest, far from the reach of the Asakura monarchy.

"She is quite a beauty. Is she a spoil from your many adventures in the forbidden lands, Your Highness?" Faust teased him while placing some leaves on the girl's forehead. The witch doctor knew the prince's excursions as the royalty would often stop by his hut before he would cross the borders.

Prince Yoh blushed, "Er.. no, I just found her lying by the river bank on my way home. How is she?"

"She'll be fine. Good thing you found her before her illness could develop into something worse. She seemed to have been through a lot of things. I wonder what happened to her and more importantly, I wonder where she is from." The witch doctor's face grew serious. "No sane person from Kasai and Kouri would dare to get near the river border. Well, no one but you, Your Highness."

"I had seen her before although I can't remember where. I'm sorry for bringing you into this, would it bother you if she was one of the other two kingdoms' people?" inquired the prince.

Faust brightened up. "Of course not, I've been banished by your father so the laws of Kasai do not govern me. But if she was one of them, she has to go back home immediately before anyone finds out that she had trespassed into Kasai."

"You can count on me to help her return to her land," the prince assured him.

"Extending your help to an enemy of your kingdom? You are really an odd one from your clan. I presume this is an opportunity you wish to grab to delay your return to the palace."

Prince Yoh's face reddened with embarrassment.

Faust looked at him amused. His speculation had been confirmed. He stood up and swung his arm around the prince's shoulder. "Come now, my prince. Let's leave her alone to rest and recuperate. You can stay here as long as you want."

* * *

><p>Prince Ren slumped face down on his bed. He was too tired to even change his clothes. He had been joining the search party for the missing princess for the last three days but they could not find a trace of her. The men were already losing hope but he was determined not to give up that easily. Someone had entered his room for he heard the door being slowly opened but he did not bother to rise up from his current position to check on the visitor.<p>

"Ren." It was the king's commanding voice. Out of courtesy, he instantly stood up to acknowledge him.

"Yes, father. How can I serve you?"

"You have recently been tiring yourself out to the point of exhaustion. You should use your remaining vacation to rest and lift your spirits up from this... this misery you are subjecting yourself into."

"Remaining vacation?" the prince repeated to confirm if he had heard him right.

"Four days from now you are to return to the Royal Patch Academy as scheduled."

The prince closed his fists in defiance. "I won't leave here until I find her."

The king shot him a stern look. "Both Kouku and Kaminari's military forces had been utilized to search the entire land. They couldn't find a single body. She must have been washed out to the sea and that would make it even harder to look for the cadaver."

"Why do you speak of her like that father? She is just missing," Prince Ren raised his voice in anger.

"She IS dead, Ren. They ARE dead. It is painful but we have to accept it. The news of the murders had already spread across our kingdoms. We cannot let the other two know about it or they would use Kouku's defenselessness to their advantage. Moreover, we cannot forever commit the services of our royal guards to finding just ONE person who IS most likely gone."

"That ONE person means the whole world to me." The prince whispered as he avoided his father's cold stare. "I would like some time alone. If you could just let me be... I want to rest now."

The king sighed, "If it would appease you my son, we will extend the search for another three days. After that, we have to bury the dead already. We will hold the funeral of the Kouku royal family in the morning. In the afternoon, you will leave for the academy."

* * *

><p><em><em>She couldn't feel her legs anymore for the strain of running non-stop had already taken its toll on them. Although she desperately wanted to rest, s<em><em>he just couldn't for <em>_she was the lone prey that night. The downpour blurred her vision and the only thing she could see were the silhouette of trees_ swaying violently with the strong wind. She thought she heard their voices trying to hurry her up for the predators were already at her heels._

_Run Anna! Run!_

_She could hear her parents' voices as if they were right beside her. Tears began to gush down her cheeks because those were the voices of the spirits who had recently left their earthly bodies. They were gone and they won't be coming back. She considered resigning to her ugly fate yet she did not want to let her parents' sacrifices go in vain. She felt helpless but she didn't want to look like it. She was even stopping herself from screaming out her fiance's name for it was not in her character to call out for someone's help although she badly wanted him to save her._

_She was praying for the Great Spirit's assistance but it only further invited her to her imminent death. Her efforts to survive were fruitless. She had nowhere to go. She could hear the evil laughter of the predators waiting for the perfect time to eat her. Hope was already fleeting her when she saw a spark of redemption through a mad rampaging river and she jumped in. _

The blond girl woke up with a start and found herself in a small dimly lit room. There were piles of boxes that were stack up from a corner and a wooden cabinet near the doorway was filled with glass vials of murky-colored liquid, bundles of dried leaves, and bottles of white, yellow, and green powdered substances. More boxes were lying on the foot of her bed. It was truly a crowded place - far from the grandeur of her room in the Kouku palace. Memories of recent events rushed back to her and she suddenly felt cold despite the warmth of the blanket that was covering her.

"Oh, you're finally awake," a blond lady appeared by the door, carrying a basin of steaming hot water and a towel.

"Where am I?"

"You are in Ka-," the woman began to answer.

"-in my hut," a pale-looking blond man who showed up behind the lady finished the reply for her. "Our …. son", he remembered his promise to the prince not to reveal his identity to their guest, "…found you unconscious by the river. You were asleep for three days. Maybe you could tell us what happened to you."

"Let's save that for later, Faust," his wife stopped his inquisition and approached the girl. "Come join us in our dinner. The food's already prepared," she helped her rise from the bed.

* * *

><p>The princess roamed her eyes around the hut. More wooden cabinets displaying bottles with all sorts of things were installed in almost every corner. There was a small kitchen with dirty pots piling up and a small table for four was already set up with delicious-smelling food. The princess heard her stomach grumbling. She was really famished.<p>

"Please feel free to help yourself," the kind wife smiled at her as they sat down. They were staring at her with full-blown curiosity. If she were in the palace, she would have sent them to the dungeons for disrespecting her but right now, her hungry stomach was clouding her sense of reason. She's becoming impatient for the husband and wife didn't seem ready yet to start the sumptuous meal.

"I'm home." The door of the hut swung open and a familiar raven-haired boy who was the apparent cause of the delay entered. "I put the logs for the fireplace in the storage shed."

"There you are, we are about to start dinner. Come now, SON," Faust beckoned him to the table.

"Er… yes, father."

"What's your name, young lady?" asked the pale blond man a few minutes after they began eating.

The girl hungrily drank the soup. "I'm Anna," she uttered. She had intentionally dropped her title for she still did not trust this weird-looking family. The attack had made her cautious of her surroundings.

"Anna… I heard that name before," the son spoke as he chewed on a piece of meat.

"So why are you lying around the river, Anna?" the father eyed her. He seemed to be suspicious of her as much as she was of them.

He was answered with a few minutes of silence. "Some people attacked our house during the night." The girl paused eating and finally replied. "I managed to escape."

Everybody froze and directed his attention towards her. Tears were starting to form but she was successful in holding them back.

"And your family?" it was the father who had the courage to ask.

"They are all dead."

A deafening silence followed. The son looked upset, the mother became teary-eyed, but the grave atmosphere was lightened by an apology from the father. "We're sorry for bringing this up. If you feel like not going home yet for fear of your life, you can stay here as long as you want." He handed the plate of salad to her, "Have more of these, they're really good."

* * *

><p>Anna sat down on the bed and stared out the small window. It was eerily dark but she can see the silhouette of big trees outside. She recalled the events that took place days ago. This time she couldn't stop the tears from falling. She wanted to cry bitterly and to curse out to the Great Spirit for the fate that it had brought her but the boy suddenly walked inside the room carrying a mat and a pillow. He dropped them on the floor.<p>

"What do you think you are doing?" she asked irritably while quickly brushing away the tears.

"I'm sorry… but the storage shed had been filled with logs. Can I sleep here instead?"

"No, find yourself another room."

"There's no other room here... but it's okay, I'll sleep by the fireplace. I'm used to sleeping anywhere anyway."

_Sleeping anywhere? _A memory struck her. "Wait, I know who you are!"

The boy grew uneasy. "You do?"

"You're that lazy servant who had eavesdropped at our conversation during the engagement ball!" _Oops_. She had revealed too much information.

The boy looked relieved for some reason but realization had also dawned on him. "Oh, I remember now. You were that girl who was engaged to the Prince of Kaminari… Then you must be… the princess of Kouku."

Anna folded her arms and stood menacingly at him. "Say one word about my identity, even to your parents and you will be beheaded. I'll make sure of that. What's your name by the way, servant?"

"I'm Yoh, Princess Anna."

"I command you, Yoh not to address me as princess when someone is around. I cannot divulge my royal background not until I find out who the murderers of my parents were. Tomorrow, you will take me to your king."

"My king?"

"Yes, he is friends with my father. He can help me."

"I'm not really sure about that…" 

"Are you trying to sway my orders, servant?" the princess gave him a death glare.

"No, Your Highness."

"Good. If you do not have anything more to say, leave! I want to rest now."

The boy picked up the mat and the pillow on the floor and slowly walked out of the room. He seemed to be extremely distressed.

_Why would the princess of Kouku want to meet the King of Kasai_?

* * *

><p>The next day…<p>

"You are going to the palace?" Faust raised an eyebrow while he wrapped himself with a brown cloak. "Are you sure?"

"Anna would like to meet our king," Yoh said unexcitedly.

"Now that is such a bold move." The witch doctor chuckled.

"Why? He is strict but a very kind man," defended the blond girl.

Faust stared at her from the corner of his eyes as he sealed the boxes containing his medicines and concoctions. The prince told him earlier that the girl was from Kasai and that there was nothing to worry about.

"As you wish, young lady. I'll give you a ride to the nearest town as I'll be delivering my merchandise to a customer. Yoh, please help me carry these boxes to the wagon outside."

The two heaved the heavy boxes with caution.

"An opportunity gone, eh? You will be meeting your father soon, after all." The witch doctor whispered to the prince as they loaded the boxes. "I'd like to see his reaction when you come home with a pretty girl with you after months of being away."

"That's the least of my worries, Faust." Yoh climbed up the wagon and sat at one of the bigger boxes.

"Well, then. Say hello to the Kasai palace for me." The witch doctor patted his brown horse before boarding the driver's seat. "Let's go, Anna. It will be a long day."

His wife and the blond girl went out of the hut. Anna looked hesitantly at the old rickety wagon. There was no way she would ride in there but she didn't seem to have a choice. She was found by a peasant family and although she did not show it, she was grateful to them for helping her out.

The wife tapped her shoulder and handed her a bag before she left. It contained her freshly washed night gown. "Don't forget this. It is a beautiful fabric."

Anna gave her a slight smile, squeezed her hand then approached the waiting wagon.

Yoh extended his arm to the princess and pulled her up. She sat down on a box across him.

"Goodbye my dear Eliza, I'll be back soon!" Faust blew his wife a kiss.

The prince rested his head on a box and closed his eyes to sleep as the wagon began to move.

_Goodbye Great Spirit's river, Hello Kasai palace._

* * *

><p>End of Chapter 9<p> 


	10. Chapter 10: The Ordinary Royals

The Four Kingdoms

By Elle Pellano

A/N: Thanks Saber and Melike for the consistent reviews. I'm putting up another chapter before the school week starts.=)

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter X. The Ordinary Royals<strong>

The prince smiled as he watched the blond girl gaze with awe at every village and rice paddy they passed by. It seemed as if this was the first time the princess of Kouku had left the confines of the palace.

_Sometimes being a royalty is really boring. _The prince thought as he stretched out his arms. They had been traversing the road to the town of Chikyuu the whole day but the girl had looked on with unmasked amusement at the activities around her. She would give him a death glare every once in a while especially when she would catch him beaming at her. However, her eyes could not hide her delight at what the outside world had presented to her.

_It's her first time in Kasai. Is she aware of the death penalty for trespassing? _The prince marveled at the strong-willed girl across him. It's not every day that he would meet someone as crazy as him who would defy the laws of their land. _I guess she's not anxious about it. I wonder if our fathers were really friends. _The princess' words had been bothering him since last night. That sort of thing was very unlikely to happen knowing the history of the four kingdoms. Yes, there was a peace treaty but it didn't mean that one-half of the land was in speaking terms with the other half. _Unless they have formally ended their misunderstandings while I'm gone._

"Here we are at last!" Faust announced from behind the boxes. The princess turned around to look at the magnificent arch of the town of Chikyuu as the wagon entered its premises. They went pass the giant fountain where a bunch of kids were playing and entered the busy street of a flea market. They turned right to a narrow alley and stopped in front of a small shop selling herbs and home-made remedies.

"Hello my dear friend, it's been quite a while," the witch doctor took off the hood of his cloak and saluted a fat man wearing a turban who just came out of the store. As they converse, the prince began unloading the heavy boxes from the wagon.

_Faust would surely make a lot of money after selling this amount of herbal ointments and medicines._

The witch doctor had been secretly trading his wares with a long-time friend in Chikyuu since he was banished from Kasai. The town of Chikyuu was the center of commerce in the kingdom and security was less strict here to allow for free trade.

By the time the prince finished the delivery, the blond girl was nowhere to be found. He immediately left the witch doctor who was laughing heartily with his customer and searched every stall nearby for the missing princess. He felt relieved when he spotted her at the far end of the street peering with great interest at the trinkets being sold at a jewelry shop.

"Anna, I've been looking for you," he panted heavily. He noticed the object of her fascination. It was a necklace with a three-rose pendant.

"Yoh, have you seen a necklace with a pendant similar to this one but with just a single rose when you found me?" she asked.

"No, I don't remember something like that."

"I must have lost it when I fell down the river. Ren would be very angry." There was a tinge of sadness in her voice.

The prince instantly reached for his pockets only to remember they were empty. _What an awful time to be penniless. _He sighed to himself.

"There you are you, two! You got me a bit worried." Faust showed up from behind their backs. He was happily patting a heavy bag of coins as payment for his merchandise.

"My friend had asked us to stay overnight in their house as guests. We could continue our journey tomorrow. Oh, by the way, here's your part of the sales, Yoh." The witch doctor threw him a pouch containing several coins. "You can roam around town but be sure to remember this part of the alley so you can return here safely. Enjoy!" Faust winked at the prince before walking away.

Yoh smiled cheerfully at the witch doctor's gift, "Thank you Faust!" he blurted out.

"You call your father by his first name?" Anna raised an eyebrow at his sudden lack of respect.

"Er… sometimes. Come!" The prince took her hand and they made their way through the busy flea market.

"Where the hell are you taking me, servant?" the blond girl screamed as she was dragged along.

The prince didn't mind her protests and stopped in front of a stall selling street foods. He ordered two sticks of what appeared to be barbecued lizards' tails from the old woman. "Here, try this one," he grinned as he handed her a stick.

"There's no way you're making me eat that," the princess wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"It's good. It's the specialty in Chikyuu."

"No!"

"Then how about those?" Yoh pointed at the skewered frog legs.

"Definitely not!"

"These ones are delicious." The prince shifted his finger to the display of chicken feet.

"No! Are those even edible?"

Chicken's intestines. Pig's dried blood. Dead seahorse.

"No! No! No! Are you trying to poison me?" The princess was fuming with rage.

"I just thought you'd like to try out the food of ordinary town's people. You won't get to taste them when you return to the palace."

"That is if I could still return there without being ambushed." Anna muttered under her breath.

Yoh ordered a paper bagful of lizards' tails and paid the thankful old woman.

"Let's walk, princess."

* * *

><p>Anna was tired from strolling around but as much as she didn't want to admit it, she had fun that day. She and the servant, Yoh had watched a puppet show being performed near the central fountain, observed a group of old weavers working on the loom to create a beautiful tapestry, played with a bunch of kids - well Yoh did the playing, eaten shaved ice sweetened with syrup, ogled at the ceramics and glass beads displayed on a crafts shop, and laughed at a street mime who was acting as if he had lost his way. They had just finished watching the sunset from the rooftop of an amiable dressmaker and were on their way to the medicine shop where they would be staying for the night.<p>

The princess glanced at the boy walking in front of her with his head resting on his folded arms. He was happily whistling a song she had never heard of. She was beginning to feel a little envious. Ordinary people like him could experience what life had to offer. They were not subject to threats and murders unlike the royalty. They could have a normal quiet and simple life - something she wasn't able to experience until today. Yoh abruptly stopped and scratched his head when they were almost near the shop.

"Amm… princess, you go ahead. I think I lost my pouch. I'll just retrace our steps and look for it."

Anna scoffed, "How irresponsible!" and went inside the medicine store where she was greeted by Faust and their host family.

* * *

><p>Yoh returned in time for dinner and was bombarded with questions from the witch doctor regarding his adventures around town as Anna was disinterested in responding to his queries. When dinner was over, Faust instructed them to sleep ahead as he would be having a drinking session with his old-time buddy downstairs.<p>

"I'm sorry, princess but we three have to share the same place," the prince dusted the pillows that were laid on the single bed. This is the only guest room they have here. Father and I will sleep on the floor. They have mats prepared for us."

Anna who had already changed into her night gown, ignored him and went over the small balcony. There wasn't much to see for the view was being blocked by several houses. Yoh joined her and stared in appreciation at the stars above them.

"I didn't know that such a town existed here. Ren and I would only spend our time in one another's palaces or in the Kouku forest near the river border. We never went to visit towns."

"It's fun, isn't it? When you sometimes forget you have the weight of the kingdom on your shoulders."

"How would you know how heavy a royal's burden is? You are just an ordinary servant," the princess glared at him.

"Er.. you're right, Your Highness." He didn't want to get on her bad side. "Am… by the way, this is for the one you have lost," Yoh took out from his pocket a small box which he handed over to the blond girl.

Anna opened it to reveal the necklace that she had been peering at the jewelry store earlier.

"Great! Now you have wasted your little money on this. Don't blame me for your sudden impoverishment," she scolded him. Nonetheless, the princess wore it on her neck at once.

"Thanks, anyway." she whispered audibly. "When I meet Ren tomorrow, he will reprimand me for losing his engagement gift."

"Ren… Ren… REN, you mean the Prince of Kaminari? You are going to meet him tomorrow?" Yoh asked in disbelief.

"Yes, I told you to take me to your king, didn't I? You worked for King Yuan, how could you not clearly remember his son's name?"

Yoh's jaws dropped. How could he be so stupid? Of course, the princess of Kouku would remember him as a servant at the Kaminari palace for she saw him there during the engagement ball. She was actually referring to the King of Kaminari as 'his' king. He felt like slamming his head on the stone wall a couple of times.

_I'm in big trouble. We're in big trouble. If she finds out that she is in Kasai, she'll freak out. If she finds out that I'm from Kasai, she'll freak out even more. She would immediately think that our kingdom is spying on theirs for what could be the main reason why a resident from Kasai would be in her engagement ball. Actually, we really are spying on them!_

_If they find out here that she's a trespasser she would be hanged. If they found out that I have been trespassing to the other two kingdoms, I will be hanged, too._

_If I veered her away from the direction of the palace and return to the forest border she'll start suspecting and I can't just leave her to go to Kaminari on her own. What if her parents' murderers were just waiting for her somewhere near?_

_What do I do? What do I do?_

* * *

><p>End of Chapter 10<p> 


	11. Chapter 11: Encounters

The Four Kingdoms

By Elle Pellano

A/N: Thanks for the positive comments from both old and new reviewers.

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter XI. Encounters<strong>

"It's a beautiful day!" exclaimed Faust as he did stretching exercises by his wagon while Yoh wiped off the dust inside the vehicle. They were preparing to leave the town of Chikyuu that morning.

Anna glowered at the weird father-and-son tandem. There was something un-family-like with how these two interacted with each other. Aside from not sharing the same physical traits, the father was always exuberant to the point of looking like a mad man. He didn't seem to have any hangovers for his jolliness did not fade in spite of the fact that he came to their room severely drank last night. His loud snoring had made it difficult for the princess to sleep. On the other hand, his son was the sort of person to repress his feelings all the time. He would always follow his father's orders without any complaints. Being a palace servant, he was probably trained that way. Anna would sometimes catch him staring blankly at nothing in particular as if he was pondering on something really important. Perhaps he was bored with his life or perhaps he was a dull person. The latter seemed more plausible for what could be more unexciting than having a royal blood's life?

"Let's go children. I don't want to delay your meeting with the king," Faust had already positioned himself on the driver's seat. "I'll be dropping you off in the town of Tochi. The palace is just three towns away from there."

"Don't you want to join us in meeting him?" asked the princess as she sat across Yoh in the wagon. "He could help you improve your unfortunate living condition."

"Oh, I don't think the king would be interested in seeing a lowly witch doctor," Faust hit the horse with his reigns to get it moving. "Besides, I already miss my wife."

"Maybe we should go back home, Anna. I heard from one of the townsmen that the king is on a journey right now. We won't be finding him there." Yoh suggested. He had practiced this in his mind the whole night.

"That's not a problem. I'll look for the prince instead."

_First attempt: failed! I'll try another tactic._

"But you look tired. Why not rest first in our house then we'll embark again on a trip to the palace?"

"I'm perfectly fine. Besides I do NOT want to endure that painstaking journey from your secluded home again."

_Second attempt: failed! I'm running out of ideas._

"How would you like to roam around town first before we proceed to the palace? It'll be fun just like yesterday."

"That'll be a waste of time. If I remembered it correctly, Ren would be sailing for the academy two days from now. I need to see him and tell him everything that happened before he leaves."

_Third attempt: failed! Maybe I should tell her the truth…_

"Anna, there's something I want to -"

"Drop it, Yoh! You're starting to get on my nerves. I want to sleep. Thanks to your father, I didn't get any last night."

"Ok…. I'm sorry, Anna…"

* * *

><p><em>He peered out through the window of the carriage to take a good look at the palace. It was not as magnificent as theirs but it was still beautiful. It was his first time in this kingdom and he regretted having fallen asleep throughout the journey for he wanted to see all the new sceneries along the way. He didn't know there were other kingdoms not until he was told by his father that he and his mother would be visiting some family friends. His mother took him away from the carriage window just in time for a pageboy to open the door for them. He was already 7 years old but she carried him as if he were still an infant. He hated it and he wriggled hard so that his mother would drop him. <em>

"_My little boy doesn't want to be cuddled anymore…" his mother gently put him down and kissed his right cheek. "Aren't you excited that you'll be meeting a new playmate?"_

"_I hope it's a boy." He told her. He badly wanted to have someone play swords with him._

_They entered the palace and were met by a row of servants who all bowed down before them. The queen of the household appeared from a hallway and greeted them with open arms, "Welcome to our simple abode, Queen Ran! Oh, this must be Prince Ren." She patted the little boy's head. The prince frowned. He didn't like his hair being messed up._

"_Yuko, please bring my daughter over here," the queen instructed a fat maid who scurried upstairs to fetch the princess. It took quite awhile before they heard the angry protests of a little girl. Nonetheless, the servant was successful in dragging her downstairs to meet her royal visitors._

"_Please smile for our special guests, Anna," the queen gently pulled her frowning daughter from behind the servant. "I'm sorry for her attitude. She's not used to having new faces around. Anna, be respectful."_

_The little princess curtsied in front of the visiting queen but scowled at her young son._

"_You came here at the most appropriate time. The roses are already in full bloom. Come, I'll show you around the royal garden. Let's leave the children alone to play."_

_Little Anna waited for everybody to disperse before she folded her arms across her chest and eyed the prince from head to foot. The little boy turned red with embarrassment._

"_So what's with the pointy hair?"_

Prince Ren opened his eyes. If it were an ordinary day, he could have been laughing the minute he woke up. His memory was refreshed with his and his best friend's first encounter and it was definitely not an amicable one. Since the princess went missing, he had been dreaming about her every day. There were moments when he just wanted to lie down and sleep for it was in his dreams that he could see her again. He scrambled out of his bed to get ready for today's search. _I swear by my pointy hair, I will find you, Anna._

* * *

><p>They had arrived at the town of Tochi in time for lunch. Faust treated them to a restaurant where they had a sumptuous meal of flavorful Tochi cuisine. The town was famous for its annual culinary competition in which cooks from all over the kingdom battle each other out with their kitchen utensils. Luck was on Yoh's side for the competition was being held that day and the princess looked on with great interest at the town square where the cooking challenge was taking place.<p>

They were already full when they got out of the restaurant but the delightful aroma of herbs and spices from the culinary battle filled the air. "You might want to check on that," Faust pointed at the ongoing competition.

Yoh's eyes sparkled, "It only happens once a year, Anna. We should stay here a bit more. Besides, they're giving away free food."

The princess couldn't help but notice the positive change in the servant boy's mood. "I guess we could," she finally consented. She realized that she had been missing out on a lot of things by shutting herself in the Kouku palace.

"Really? I'm so glad you agreed," Yoh felt the excitement rushing in.

Faust chuckled. _These two look good together._ _If only Yoh was not a prince…_ He boarded his wagon which was parked in front of the restaurant. "This is where I leave you guys, have fun!" Faust put on the hood of his cloak and waved goodbye at them.

Yoh beamed at him, "Thank you Faust er… Father! See you soon!"

They watched as the wagon disappeared. "Come on, servant. A new competition has started over there." Anna motioned him to hurry up.

A crowd of people had gathered to watch a display of slicing skills. The two made their way to the front to catch a clearer view of the spectacle. A white-haired man using a sword to cut several apples thrown at him into equal pieces was the main attraction. The crowd cheered as the man managed to slice twelve fruits with ease and grace. The applause was loud enough to mute Yoh's gasp when he recognized who it was. He quickly turned around wishing that he was not spotted but…

"Master!"

The man jogged towards him.

"Master! I mean Yoh." The royal bodyguard was quick to remember that he was not to disclose the prince's identity to commoners.

"Hello Amidamaru," the boy forced out a grin.

"We were worried about you. Why did you suddenly disappear?"

The prince was not able to answer for Anna had joined in the conversation. "Who is that, Yoh?"

"He's Amidamaru, an old friend of mine, Anna."

The bodyguard whispered mischievously at the prince's ear, "Did you find yourself a new one, Master Yoh? Your fiancé will be furious if she finds out you were with another girl. Where did you meet her by the way?"

"Er… I'm just showing her around town. I didn't know you like to attend competitions like this, Amidamaru."

"It's my day off from palace work. Moreover, the person who I'm supposed to be guarding is away for quite a while. As to why I am here, I only join events where I could show off my swordsmanship."

The blond girl cleared her throat.

"I apologize for such behavior, My Lady. We got carried away with our conversation. I believe we have not been formally introduced. I'm Amidamaru, the most skillful swordsman of Ka-"

The prince quickly stuffed a large piece of apple which he caught flying in the air as it was sliced earlier into the royal body guard's mouth.

"There's no need for further introductions, Amidamaru," Yoh laughed nervously. "Let's go over there, I think the verdict for the best main course is already being given out."

"Well I think that's enough Yoh. We're wasting our time here," Anna told him irritably. Why is she getting this feeling that the servant boy is hiding something from her?

"Forgive me for asking but you seemed to be in a hurry, My Lady. Are you going somewhere else?"

"We're going to the palace to meet the king," the girl replied bluntly.

"Ah, if you leave now you'll arrive there after dark. The palace guards do not admit visitors at night…"

Yoh smiled. Running into Amidamaru might be a good thing after all. He could help divert Anna's attention from marching into the Kasai palace.

"…Fortunately, I work there. I can give you a lift on my horse. We could go there altogether tomorrow morning."

The prince's left eye twitched. Luck had totally left his side.

* * *

><p>End of Chapter 11<p> 


	12. Chapter 12: The King of Kasai

The Four Kingdoms

By Elle Pellano

A/N: Wow, more reviewers. Thank you so much for your support!

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter XII. The King of Kasai<strong>

Anna felt uneasy as she scanned her surroundings. Despite being tired after riding on horseback for almost the entire day, her vigilance did not wane at all. She was definite that there must have been some mistake when the white-haired friend of the servant boy announced their arrival at their destination. From the arch of the town bearing the name "Koichi", she can spot the majestic structure of a palace fortress rising among the bricked houses of the commoners. The Kaminari palace was situated on a mountain top overlooking the sea. Her unfamiliarity with the current surroundings may have been caused by their coming from another route but the absence of the salty air was evident. She recounted every meeting with her fiancé but cannot remember a single instance of him talking about some other palace in another town of the kingdom. _This was probably a new structure built when Ren was away. Perhaps it was another surprise from his father. _She wanted to confirm this with the servant boy but he was sat behind Amidamaru and was keeping quiet throughout their journey.

She could have held on to her deductions had she not noticed the stone walls of the fortress when they passed through the main gate. They looked like they had already withstood the tests of time. Two strict royal guards drew out their spears and halted them. They particularly eyed her with great suspicion.

"Who is the girl with you Amidamaru? What is her business here?" asked one of the guards.

Anna noticed that they were wearing an armor engraved with an emblem of a six point star in the shape of a tree. It was an entirely different symbol from the Tao family's black-and-white circle crest engraved on the armor usually worn by the Kaminari royal army.

"She is to see the king. Let her in." She heard the white-haired man from behind her say with an air of authority.

"You cannot order us around even if you are the prince's bodyguard. You still have to follow the protocol. She cannot proceed if she doesn't have an appointment with the king. Who authorized you to bring her here, anyway?" the other royal guard pointed his spear threateningly at the blond girl. Anna returned his rudeness with a scowl.

"He did," Amidamaru nodded his head towards the direction of his other passenger.

Yoh peered from behind the white-haired man and grinned at the two royal guards who immediately bowed down.

"We're sorry for the inconvenience. You may enter the palace grounds."

Amidamaru smirked at them and proceeded inside.

* * *

><p>King Mikihisa watched as the sun began to set behind the window of the throne room. He was currently alone for his queen and her parents, the former rulers of Kasai were drinking tea in the royal garden. Somehow, he felt quite lonely being there on his own. He had given up several things since he was married into the Asakura family and anointed king of Kasai - things such as his freedom and his last name.<p>

He was not really of noble blood but he belonged to one of the richest merchant clans in the kingdom. Being wealthy had its perks. He enjoyed sailing to foreign lands, making friends with strangers and immersing himself with their culture. He was bound to travel the whole world but his familial duties had prompted him to go back to Kasai. An arranged marriage with no other than the princess of the kingdom had greeted him when he returned. The Asakura royals were strict with whom they would marry off their only heiress. He was judged as the rightful one out of a hundred bachelors who were mostly affluent commoners. It was not hard to love the comely Princess Keiko but after marrying her, he had to work extra hard to prove that he was a worthy monarch.

Their union had produced identical twin sons who had brought quite a dilemma to the royal family for only one will be appointed as the next heir. He had never truly seen this as a serious issue for he would gladly divide the kingdom into two if he could only have his way. He knew that he would be greatly reprimanded by the former king and queen just by suggesting this.

He missed those times when his sons were just children. There was so much excitement in the palace. He could sense the big difference in his life as a father today and seven years ago. Right now, he felt like he was childless parent for he did not get to spend as much time with his sons as he had spent with his bejeweled chair. He had sent one away after a fiery and heart-breaking incident while the other son seemed to be more interested in his travels than being the heir of Kasai.

He shouldn't have allowed Yoh to join the spy mission to the other two kingdoms. His son had used this opportunity to veer away from his meticulous royal training. Furthermore, the mission had only produced an unconvincing report from the group that came back without him. _Just an engagement party, eh? There must be some conspiracy behind that move._

He recalled a particular incident when his men had caught two spies near the palace grounds. He did not have the chance to interrogate them for the spies had killed themselves in their prison cell. He was going to impose death penalty on them for trespassing anyway. It was ironic that he considered himself a well-travelled man yet he had not stepped foot on their neighbor kingdoms because of the unreasonable terms of a hundred-year-old peace treaty.

His musings were put to an end with the arrival of a palace guard.

"I'm sorry to disturb your peace, my king but Prince Yoh has returned. His company was last seen entering the main gates and moving towards the direction of the stables."

"I see. Thank you for the news."

"Shall we prepare to salute him by the front door, sire?"

"That is not necessary. He won't be entering the palace there. I think I'll go and meet him personally."

* * *

><p>The three-day extended search for the missing princess of Kouku had formally ended today. With a heavy heart, both the Kouku and Kaminari royal armies headed home to their respective kingdoms. Tomorrow the dead would be buried along with their anguish and frustrations.<p>

Prince Ren had locked himself in his room as soon as he arrived from his fruitless mission. The palace servants had tried coaxing him to let them in so that he could at least eat dinner in his room but he was yelling at them to leave him alone. Even his father did not succeed in making him open the door. It was the queen who had broken the rule of privacy governing in their household by entering the room without her son's permission. Unlike earlier, the prince was not replying to her calls and this had made her worried sick.

She found him sprawled on the floor by the foot of his bed with several empty bottles of what appeared to be strong liquor. Just how her son had gotten hold of this type of drink, she had no clue. There was no doubt that the prince had drunk himself to sleep.

"Ren, Ren… " the queen gently shook him. Her son responded with a grunt. She made him sit up and laid his head on the bed's wooden leg. "Let's get you dress for bed."

"I did not find her…" the prince whispered repeatedly as his mother knelt down to gather and put the empty bottles aside. Tears were streaming down his face. Queen Ran gave him a pitiful look and softly caressed his cheek.

"She's not dead. Tell me she's not dead, Mother." The boy's breath smelled heavily of alcohol.

"She isn't, Ren. She's always alive here," the queen pointed at his son's chest.

"I don't want to… leave tomorrow…. I need… to find her… She's not dead…" The prince almost choked on the words. His agony was inconsolable.

The queen felt her chest tightening. It was her first time to witness her son in his most vulnerable state. She gave him a warm hug while the prince wailed piteously.

"Maybe leaving can help you move on, Ren. You need to let go of her now…"

* * *

><p>Upon Yoh's instructions, the swordsman proceeded to a large wooden house where they were keeping the horses. Anna took the opportunity to talk with the servant boy when Amidamaru left them to return the horse he borrowed inside.<p>

"Tell me the truth, Yoh," the blond girl furrowed her eyebrows and folded her arms across her chest. "Where are we exactly?"

"I'm sorry, Anna!" The boy lowered his head. "I was confused when you told me that you wanted to meet my king so I brought you here. I only realized later on that you were talking about the king of… Kaminari," Yoh checked if the other servants in the stable were listening before he whispered the last word.

Anna stared at him in disbelief. _So I am not in Kaminari. Is that what he is implying? Is this boy hiding his true identity and working for two different kings as a palace servant?_

"Are you telling me that I am in -"

"Welcome to the Kasai Palace, Anna," Amidamaru smiled as he approached the two. He had just finished his task in the stable and was oblivious of their current argument. "You can now meet King Mikihisa."

Anna's heart raced. _I am in a forbidden territory._ _I should have run off when I noticed the difference in the crests. _If her identity will be exposed, she's done for.

She wanted to scream at Yoh for his trickery but before she can react violently, an authoritative voice spoke from behind her. "Who would want to see me, Amidamaru?"

All the servants in the stable including the white-haired man bowed down low as the king of Kasai appeared with two royal guards trailing him.

"You," he pointed at Yoh who seemed to be trembling all over, "are going to clean the stables the entire night ALONE. As a punishment for your long-time absence, you will not have any dinner. Leave my presence and start on your task."

The boy gave an apologetic look to Anna before he ran inside the barn to do the king's bidding.

The king turned his attention to the blond girl who stood firmly but looked slightly alarmed. "Young lady, I presumed you are the person who would want to speak to me. How could I be of service to you?" King Mikihisa asked her kindly.

Anna remained speechless for a few minutes as she stared at the royal's creepy bird mask. _The body of a man but with the head of a bird, huh. Ren, your stories are too exaggerated. _

She scolded herself for thinking of other less important things instead of finding her way out of this grim situation. She breathed deeply and calmly collected herself as a plan began to form quickly in her head.

"Dear king… I came here to… apply as a… palace maid."

* * *

><p>End of Chapter 12<p> 


	13. Chapter 13: Funeral and Surprises

The Four Kingdoms

By Elle Pellano

A/N: Sorry for the very long delay….

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

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><p><strong>Chapter XIII. Funeral and Surprises<strong>

Anna wiped the sweat from her forehead as she spread out the white linen hanging from the clothesline. Her arms were already aching from the repetitive task of hanging heavy and wet table cloths and bed sheets. Her eyes were also drooping since the strict middle-aged head of the palace maids had awaken her by a loud scream in the ear at around 5 AM in the morning and instructed her to help with the laundry. From what she had heard, the Prince of Kasai had just returned and his queen mother wanted that everything be spic and span for their long-delayed royal family dinner tonight.

_Stupid Prince of Kasai! Why should I serve under your name? _

She frowned but instantly lightened her mood as she noticed the other servants staring at her from the corner of her eye. They wore mixed expressions of curiosity, envy or even contempt especially the three young maids whose names were Kanna, Matilda and Marion. Apparently, she had bypassed the screening process of hiring royal servants just because the warrior, Amidamaru had backed her up with his trusted recommendation. If they were in Kouku, she could have fired them on the spot for shooting death glares at her.

_But I'm just a palace maid. Bleh!_

She hated the idea but this is the only way to hide her true identity and survive in the enemy's land. She's only waiting for the right time to escape from the palace and hitch a wagon ride towards the borders so she could finally go home. She would force the imbecile servant boy to assist her out of this wretched kingdom since he was the main reason why she was here in the first place.

_Speaking of that moron. Where is he?_

She hadn't seen the servant boy called Yoh the whole day. She tried to peek at the stables early this morning but he was nowhere to be found.

_I'll definitely give that boy a good spanking. I thought I'll be able to see King Yuan and Ren yesterday._

Suddenly, Anna let out a silent gasp. _Oh no, Ren is leaving for the academy today._

* * *

><p>The townspeople momentarily stopped their ongoing activities and bowed silently in prayer as the sorrowful clanging of bells resounded throughout the small kingdom of Kouku. In front of a funeral pyre at the back of the white palace, a number of servants, guards and relatives of the murdered royal clan had gathered to bid their final farewell to their beloved rulers. King Yuan and his family led the mournful ceremony. Despite the tears of anguish and screams of agony from the grieving crowd, the Kaminari monarchs remained straight-faced. Prince Ren find this tradition of being expressionless insincere but it's what was expected of them royals. He stared forlornly at the three wooden caskets on top of the stone funeral pyre. He knew that the smallest one was empty and it pained him the most for how could he say goodbye to someone who was not there?<p>

King Yuan approached the biggest casket and laid beside it his friend's bloodstained sword. He forbade the maids from wiping the blood clean as it would be a solemn reminder of King Hideki's steadfast courage when he put up a fight in an attempt to save his family. Afterwards, Queen Ran laid down a maroon and gold tapestry she had woven herself beside Queen Ayako's casket. It was one of the many interests they had shared as friends during their regular visits to each other's kingdoms. King Yuan patted his son's left shoulder after his wife had finished her prayer in front of the fallen queen's casket. The prince dragged himself towards his fiance's empty wooden funeral box and took out the necklace with the rose pendant from his right pocket. He slowly lowered the piece of jewelry but quickly withdrew it before it could even touch the foot of the casket. He just couldn't give up the only tangible memory he had of the princess. He took out from his left pocket instead a bud of red rose that he picked from their garden. It was showing signs of wilting but he didn't care. He placed it gently on top of the casket and went back by his parent's side.

The pyre was lit up and the howling and crying became more intense. Prince Ren grasped the necklace firmly as he watched the flames consumed the three caskets.

_I love you, Anna. I just can't let you go that easily._

* * *

><p>Anna had barely rested from the laundry task when she had found herself being summoned to the busy kitchen by the head cook. They were in need of extra hands for the royal homecoming dinner. The fat cook threw at her a clean white apron and a hair cap and told her to hurriedly put them on. She irritably followed as she was told but cursed at the prince in whose honor the frantic preparations were being made.<p>

_It's just an exclusive family dinner and not a lavish ball anyway. Why is there so much fuss about it?_

The cook then pushed her to a table where he ordered her to peel a basketful of potatoes. Anna gently grabbed the knife and a potato and watched as the other kitchen maids peeled carrots, ginger, garlic and onions with much ease and expertise before she tried it on her own.

_I make a bad kitchen assistant._ She told herself when it took almost 15 minutes before she could peel a whole potato completely. The royal cook slapped his forehead when he noticed the pace she was going. She had only peeled two potatoes and it wasn't even a well-done job. He pulled her away from the peeling table by the ear after a significant amount of scolding to which the other maids giggled and snorted.

The cook placed a bowl of hot soup and a ladle on a tray and placed it on Anna's delicate hands. He pointed at the door leading to the royal dining area. "Go out there and make yourself useful!"

Anna rolled her eyes. It would be more appetizing to splash the steaming soup over the mean cook. However, her vengeful thoughts dissipated as soon as she entered a large spacious hall with an elegant long dining table and a crystalline chandelier hanging on top of it. She saw the bird king seated at the far end of the table. On his right sat a beautiful black-haired woman who was without doubt, the queen of Kasai. At the middle part, on each side of the table, there settled two old royals who must be the former rulers of the kingdom. At the other end of the table, sat a boy with his short black hair tied up in a pony tail. The much-talked about prince seemed bored as he was resting his chin on the palm of his left hand and the fingers of his other hand were tapping the table. She could only see his back but there was a strong feeling that she had seen him somewhere before.

The old queen-mother gently lowered her cup of tea. She looked clearly displeased at the young prince's lack of proper manners. Anna could have thought of her as a gentle old woman had she not boomed an irate command at her grandson, "Will you stop that Yoh!"

Anna inadvertently dropped the tray of hot soup upon hearing the name. The loud breaking of pottery and dining ware instantly brought the attention of the Kasai royals towards her direction. It was then that she saw the prince's face.

* * *

><p>End of Chapter 13<p> 


	14. Chapter 14: The Servant Prince

The Four Kingdoms

By Elle Pellano

A/N: I thought I should put up a FYI section to explain the meaning of some names used in this fic and provide explanations to some questions that would probably not be answered in the main story such as the history of the four kingdoms. You may find them at the end of this chapter.

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter XIV. The Servant-Prince<strong>

"You're the prince?" Anna pointed a finger at the guilty-looking heir of Kasai amidst the spilled soup and the broken pottery on the floor.

"Yes, he is. Give some respect," said the head palace maid between gritted teeth. She came rushing to the scene as soon as she heard the crashing of dinner wares. She bowed down at the royal family apologetically. "I'm sorry, Your Highnesses, she's new here. She will be reprimanded after this." She pinched Anna by the ear and whispered crossly, "Apologize to their majesties for ruining their dinner."

Anna ignored her and continued glaring at the prince. She felt suddenly betrayed and the thought of being tricked by the enemy was too much for her. He had led her to a trap from which she couldn't escape easily. There's no one who could rescue her but herself. _I'm staying here no longer._

* * *

><p>Prince Yoh jumped from his seat as soon as he saw Anna ran outside the dining hall to the dismay of the head servant. "I need some fresh air. Sorry!" He blurted out to his disapproving father as he took off and followed the blond girl. She was a fast runner but his royal training and experience as a wanderlust helped him catch up. Good thing there were no guards patrolling the hall at that time.<p>

"Anna, wait!" he successfully halted her when he grabbed her by the right arm but that did not stop her from giving him a slap with her left. "Aww!" Yoh felt his cheek swell but did not let go of his hold on her.

"Please Anna we need to talk."

"That won't be necessary. I won't believe your lies anymore!"

"I'm sorry Anna. It was a misunderstanding. I did not mean to bring you here. I did not mean to hide my identity. If I revealed to you who I was you won't trust me anymore. I was going to tell everything to you after I cleaned the stables but I couldn't find you. I didn't know you entered as a palace maid here…"

"This is my only way to survive in this despicable place. I'm leaving here and you can't stop me. Now let go of my arm!"

The prince did not heed her.

"YOU-ARE-MY-ENEMY. You were spying on us during our engagement ball, were you not? Did you plan the whole murder of my family, too?" Tears began forming on the angry girl's eyes.

Yoh was taken aback by the accusations. "I was ordered to spy on you but I was just gathering information for my father. I did no such things to your family. Please trust me, Anna. I could have killed you or drowned you in the river if I wanted you to die." The prince shuddered at this thought. He couldn't imagine himself killing someone.

"I'd rather die by the riverbank than get executed here." Anna snapped at him.

"You won't, I promise. Nobody would know who you are. I'll help you leave."

"Help me? Why would a useless prince like you help an enemy? Oh…. I get it now. If your family finds out that you have allowed an intruder to enter your kingdom, you'll get executed, too."

The prince let go of his grasp on her and fell silent for a moment. "Yes, that is true…"

"Huh! So you finally admitted that the peace treaty is scaring you a great deal. This is about you, your honor and your reputation and NOT about me."

"You're right… but I still want to help you get out of this mess I created. Please believe that despite my cowardice and fear of losing my life and dignity, I want you to return to your kingdom safely, Anna," pleaded Prince Yoh.

_Maybe he is telling the truth… _There was genuine sincerity in the boy's eyes and voice. O_r maybe he is a talented pretender. Either way, we're holding on to each other's necks. He knows my secret but he can't reveal it to anyone because it will cost him his life and throne. I'm sure he won't be foolish enough not to keep my identity between ourselves. We will be both executed anyway. I guess this is a fair game._

"Fine! I don't have a better option right now than to need your assistance. I'm a stranger to this place and I need you to show me how to go back home."

The prince's face brightened up, "Thank you Anna. I won't let you down."

"So when can I leave this wretched palace?"

"Er….. in a month's time."

"What? This is no time to joke around."

"Majority of the palace maids have their day off scheduled once a month. It is a security measure not to permit our helpers to leave this place whenever they please to limit the information that leaks out of the palace. The next day off is in month's time. Also, my father has decreed that I may not be allowed to go out of the palace without his consent."

"Great, now I have to become a maid for about a month. May I remind you that I am a princess and I am not used to manual labor."

"Er… I think I can do something about that."

* * *

><p>"This is too much, Yoh. I cannot grant your request. You already have Amidamaru to oversee your royal training," said King Mikihisa as he sat stiffly on his bejeweled chair. His son came to the throne room early that morning just to ask for a personal assistant.<p>

"But father, Amidamaru is only in-charge of my physical training. Besides you always send him to missions along with Manta and Ryuu. He's not always around to check on me if I'm really doing my daily tasks. I need someone to push me and remind me of my duties."

The king eyed his son from head to foot. It's true that this young lad needed someone to tame him for being irresponsible but who was he going to appoint with such a difficult task?

"And who do you think has enough patience and skill to do that?"

"Amidamaru's distant relative… the new palace maid called Anna."

Yoh crossed his fingers as his father pondered on his suggestion. Good thing the blond girl gave him the information that Amidamaru told the king that he and Anna were relatives which led to the girl being accepted right away without undergoing due process. He knew too well that his father trusted Amidamaru more than any other personnel in the palace.

"She's qualified to handle the academic part of my training. She was a former governess in her hometown but decided to become a palace maid here out of poverty. Everybody knows you pay our helpers generously." Yoh wanted to slap himself for lying to his dear father. He had rehearsed this the whole night with Anna who seemed excited about his idea. This was an opportunity for her to really keep an eye on him and nag him about his promise to help her go back to Kouku.

"Amidamaru didn't tell me anything about his relative being a governess. Where is she from anyway? "

Yoh gulped. "Er… she's from... the town of… Chikyuu."

"Isn't that quite a long way from Riku, Amidamaru's hometown?"

"Well, they are distant relatives after all," Yoh laughed nervously.

"Very well, since your grandfather is too old to be your tutor, Anna will be his replacement and will serve as your personal maid."

"Thanks Your Majesty!" Yoh wore a triumphant look as he quickly ran out of the throne room after hearing his father's decision.

The king sighed as he watched his son leave in excitement. _Maybe the girl called Anna could also teach Yoh proper manners and the appropriate conduct of a royalty. But that's too much to ask from a commoner who was oblivious to those things._

* * *

><p>Yoh ran towards the kitchen where he saw Anna washing basketfuls of vegetables for slicing and dicing afterwards. Apparently, she was assigned the boring task of cleaning the ingredients since the cook was not impressed with her knifing skills and the head palace maid was not happy about the broken pottery from last night's dinner. Her fingers were already wrinkled from being subjected continuously in running water.<p>

"Good news Anna!" Yoh seemed to dance from excitement.

All the servants except the one he had addressed immediately bowed down when he entered.

"Father has agreed. You'll be my tutor and personal assistant from now on."

The other young female maids shot Anna with envious looks. The girl ignored them and smiled at the prince, "I'll be more than happy to serve you, Your Highness."

Yoh's excitement faded. There was something sinister about the way Anna smiled at him. Was there something they had agreed upon that he couldn't recall?

* * *

><p>End of Chapter 14<p>

* * *

><p><strong>An Alternate SK Universe: The World of the Four Kingdoms<strong>

The four kingdoms can be found on a single piece of land mass. Just imagine it as an oblong-shaped large island which you can divide into 4. A river cuts the island into two parts: Kaminari/Kouku section and Kasai/Kouri section. Kaminari is located at one end while Kouri is located at the other. The middle section is shared by Kasai and Kouku with the former taking a larger share. In terms of land size, Kasai is the largest, followed by Kaminari, Kouku and Kouri.

I based the names of the four kingdoms on terms related to the four elements: thunder, wind, fire and ice.

**Kaminari** – thunder (In the manga, this is the element being controlled by Ren Tao)

**Kouku** – aviation (The Japanese word for "wind" is "Kaze" but I don't think the name sounds catchy so I browsed my Jap-Eng dictionary for another word that is somehow related to wind. I found "Koukuu" suitable but I unintentionally dropped the second 'u' in the first chapter when I posted it and just thought I better stick with the current spelling.)

**Kasai** – fire (The towns introduced so far are "Chikyuu", "Tochi", "Koichi", "Riku" which mean "the Earth", "soil", "Abundance and One" and "land", respectively. "Koichi" is actually spelled as "Kouichi" but I again mistyped the name but stuck with it anyways. In this fic, the town of Koichi is the central and the richest town of the kingdom of Kasai where the palace is located. Riku is Amidamaru's hometown and it's located at the other end of the kingdom near the Kingdom of Kouri which is why King Mikihisa noted the great distance between Riku and Chikyuu. The latter is the town near the forest border where Faust and Eliza live.)

**Kouri** – ice (In the manga, this is the element being controlled by Horo Horo Usui. No characters from Kouri were introduced yet but a reference to its loud-mouth princess who is a schoolmate of Ren at the Royal Patch Academy was made in Chapter 6. I'm pretty sure you know who she is already.)

A brief history of the four kingdoms will be discussed in the next chapter's FYI section.


	15. Chapter 15: A Lesson in History

The Four Kingdoms

By Elle Pellano

A/N: Instead of putting the history of the four kingdoms in the FYI section, I've just incorporated it in this chapter. Hope you enjoy this!=)

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

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><p><strong>Chapter XV. A Lesson in History<strong>

It was supposed to be a refreshing morning - one that would make anyone calm and savor the cool morning breeze. However, that day did not appear so bright for the prince of Kasai as he began it by receiving a loud angry threat from the blond girl called Anna telling him to rise from his comfortable bed or she will dump his warm breakfast on him. He hurriedly slurped his soup while Anna folded her arms across her chest and leaned on the wall. She was watching his every movement with spite. Her piercing eyes reminded him of a hawk getting ready to grab its prey with its sharp talons. Cold shivers ran down his spine as he likened himself to a mouse being fattened up to be that hawk's breakfast. As soon as he had consumed the last drop of soup, his personal maid snatched the tray from him and ordered him to make his bed while she takes the used wares to the kitchen for dishwashing. By the time that Anna got back, the prince had successfully fixed his disorganized beddings and had smoothened every wrinkle on his blanket. The girl thanked him by shoving the heavy volumes of today's lesson into his hands then pushing him towards the balcony of his large room.

Yoh gulped and avoided the cold stare of his private tutor. They sat at a small table for two by the balcony of his room overlooking the huge palace garden. The pile of old and thick hard-bound books rose like a tower in between them - shielding the prince from whatever negative energies the blond girl is throwing at him. However, he was slightly disappointed that the pile was not high enough to block his view from his tutor's frightening gaze. _I wonder what she'll make me do next…. _

Anna had her eyes fixed on the wimpy-looking boy in front of her. She was quite surprised that the prince of Kasai submitted to all her demands as if he was the servant and not her. He was used to doing manual labor which she had expected of him after putting on the servant boy act in order to spy on their kingdoms. Maybe he was just too afraid of her or too guilty for making her take on the life-threatening ordeal of co-existing with the enemies. If it hadn't been for him she could have sought the aid of the king of Kaminari right away. She was certain that their friends from the other kingdom had already heard of the demise of the Kouku royal family. She was slightly hoping that her people would not consider her dead. After all, her supposed-to-be bloody corpse was missing from the crime scene. She couldn't stop asking herself if they even tried to look for her - if her fiancé was devastated that she was gone. _Ren might have left for the academy without even knowing that I'm still alive. It's your fault, Yoh. You're going to pay dearly for this, your idiotic Highness._

Prince Yoh blocked his face with his arms when he saw Anna seize a book from the pile but the dusty volume did not land on his head. Instead, he found the girl skimming through the pages with her forehead furrowed. _She must have been looking for a topic that's too difficult for me so she could punish me if I don't know the answer_.

Upon reaching the last page, Anna slammed the book shut. _This is ridiculous! How can I teach him something that I'm not familiar with? _The girl turned her gaze back at the prince. She thought she saw him shudder when their eyes met. _I guess I have to settle with what we both know_. Anna cleared her throat and gave the prince a stern look, "For our first lesson, we will be discussing about the history of the four kingdoms. If you failed to give me a correct answer, you will be doing my servant tasks of cleaning your filthy room for the whole day, understood?"

The prince's face brightened up. He knew the topic too well. Faust who had been like a tutor to him when he was still working for his father as a medicine man told him plenty of stories about the four kingdoms. He could definitely get away with this.

"What are you grinning about?" his tutor snapped at him.

"Amm… nothing Anna…"

"So do you understand my terms?" the girl asked him impatiently.

"Yes, Anna."

"As a first question, who started the war between the four kingdoms five hundred years ago?"

"Err.. we did…"

The blond girl peered at him. That was a very bold confession coming from the heir of Kasai, the kingdom that was the root cause of the disorder in which they were now living.

"So why did your despicable kingdom start the war?"

The prince was not sure if that was an objective question coming from his tutor as she had asked it between gritted teeth.

"It's because King Asaha Douji wanted to rule over the four kingdoms..."

"Who was the kingdom that was first subjugated by your tyrannical relative?"

"It was the kingdom of Kouri."

"Hah! If that King Asaha of yours wanted to display his military prowess, he should have conquered Kouku first which is far stronger than the little kingdom of Kouri."

"Err… I don't think you should belittle Kouri, Anna… They are actually - owww!" Yoh rubbed the part of his head that had connected with his tutor's fist.

"That is for being a know-it-all."

"I'm sorry…."

"So how and when did the war end?"

"The war ended after King Asaha's fifty years of reign. It ended because the childless king was assassinated by Duke Yohken Asakura. He was the direct ancestor of the Asakura royal bloods."

"But your ancestors did not stop the war from happening again, am I right?" The blonde raised an eyebrow at the prince.

"Err… But Anna… it was your kingdom that started the war again…"

There was a hint of embarrassment on the girl's cheeks. "That is true. The war had already brought inerasable scars and wounds that cannot be healed and forgotten. Our forefathers had lost sons during the battle. It was inevitable that they sought revenge for their loss."

"Yes, it was revenge that fueled it but Faust told me that it was not because of those that had died during the first war but those that died after it that caused the second one."

"Who cares about what your false father tells you? I bet you got your lying ability from him." Anna stood irritably and grabbed the pail of water and the two scrubs she had brought earlier when the prince was still sleeping. "This is the end of our first lesson. Don't bother me when I'm doing this hateful chore of cleaning your room."

Yoh stood up smiling and took the pail of water and a scrub from her. "I don't think I'd like to go outdoors right now." He knelt down on the floor and started scouring it rigorously. Anna watched him from the corner of her eye as she polished another side of the room. She couldn't help but notice how the prince was actually enjoying doing menial jobs. _You're a different breed of royalty, Yoh Asakura_.

The prince tried to hide his smile from his tutor to no avail. He was proud of himself for being able to successfully answer every question about the first war. Had the questions been about the second one, he would definitely be looking like a fool in front of Anna. _I wonder if she would believe me if I told her about Faust's story…._

* * *

><p><em>Flashback...<em>

_A youthful Faust looked amused at the young prince of Kasai as he devoured every word from the old history book. Anytime now the curious boy will ask him a question about today's lesson and the medicine man was prepared to give him an honest answer._

"_Why did another war start Faust? The book did not tell me anything about the cause of the second war." Yoh Asakura's eyes begged for clarifications as he handed the volume over to his tutor._

_Faust took the book and slid it back to its proper place in the shelf. "Books can only tell us so much. They only tell us about things that their authors want us to remember." He sat down across the prince and leaned forward to him so that the young boy can clearly see the dark circles below his eyes to scare him off a bit. "Do you really want to know the truth, your Highness?"_

_The nine-year-old boy gulped, "Er.. yes.."_

_Faust sat back on his chair and chuckled to himself. "After the war, the new king, Yohken Asakura tried to win back the confidence of his fellowmen and neighboring kingdoms. He was successful in regaining the trust of Kouri but the other two kingdoms were still doubtful of Kasai and the Asakura clan's advocacy of peace. He worked hard to the point of neglecting family affairs. The king had a son named Yohmaru. He was known all over the land for being a gallant and dashing prince. Everybody from Kasai expected him to follow his father's footsteps in becoming a peace-loving king. However, the prince had other things on his mind. He wanted to be as free as the wind. He loved to go to different places even to enemy territories. It was near the Great Spirit's River when he met the princess of Kouku. They fell in love but love between two people alone could not heal the wounds of war. The Kouku royal clan disapproved of their relationship and forbade the princess from seeing Prince Yohmaru. They had arranged her marriage with the prince of Kaminari but no royal decree could even separate the two lovers. Every night, they would meet each other by the Great Spirit's River in secret. They planned to elope and leave for a foreign land where they could settle and start a new life on their own. On the night that they had agreed upon, King Yohken discovered their plan and kept his son from doing more trouble. He had him thrown temporarily in the dungeons. The princess of Kouku was already at the Great Spirit's River waiting for her beloved to show up. She waited for several hours but the prince did not come. There was a storm brewing that night and she was caught in the middle of it. Some people say that the princess was delirious when she saw the figure of some man whom she thought as the prince on the other side of the river. Some say it was the Great Spirit who disguised itself as Prince Yohmaru and lured her into the water."_

"_She drowned and died?" the young prince looked downcast._

"_Her father's soldiers found her body near the river bank. The king of Kouku was furious but he was a level-headed man. He knew that the peace-keeping efforts between the four kingdoms will be put to waste if he started another war." _

"_So who started the second war?" The prince was too eager to know._

"_It was the king's remaining sons, those who had survived the first war. They wanted to avenge their only sister. They sought the aid of the crowned prince of Kaminari who was set to marry the ruined princess. The Taos and the Asakuras were said to be mortal enemies in love and war. I personally think that the crowned prince just took this opportunity to bring back the glory of his clan after being defeated by King Asaha's forces during the first war. "_

"_Did Prince Yohmaru find out that the princess died?"_

"_Oh yes, he did. He was devastated but there was nothing he can do. They were in a state of war and his king father needed him to fight for this throne. The war lasted for only three years because of the continuous clamor for peace coming from the commoners. Prince Yohmaru heeded the people's request and surrendered to the enemies. The king of Kouku was compassionate enough not to behead the prince for he knew it might instigate another war for the Kasai people loved their prince dearly. Instead, he demanded that a treaty with stringent terms should be forged forbidding his people and Kaminari's from mingling with the rest. He had also demanded that Kasai pay the other two kingdoms with gold for their losses."_

"_And so, the four kingdoms were divided into two..." everything was now clear to the young prince._

"_Yes, and this is the same reason why you're stuck with me and not with an expensive instructor at the Royal Patch Academy."  
><em>

* * *

><p>End Chapter 15<p> 


	16. Chapter 16: The New King of Kouku

The Four Kingdoms

By Elle Pellano

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter XVI. The New King of Kouku<strong>_  
><em>

"Watch out stupid!" Anna shouted at Yoh when he got almost hit by Amidamaru's sword. The prince managed to block it with his own to the blond girl's relief. Anna had accompanied the prince to the dueling grounds to observe his training with the warrior Amidamaru.

"Your skills have become rusty like your sword because of your lazy wanderings, Master Yoh," the white-haired swordsman scolded him as metal clashed against metal once more.

"I am trying hard you know," the prince held his weapon in front of him tightly for the umpteenth time that he tried to defend himself from the warrior's strikes.

"Don't lose now or you'll be humiliated in front of the girl you like," Amidamaru taunted him in a low voice.

"Er..what?" Prince Yoh suddenly lost his balance and landed butt-first on the ground. He threw a bewildered look at his trainor then at his personal maid whom he hoped did not hear a thing from their previous conversation.

Amidamaru pointed his sword at the prince's chest particularly at the golden pin in the shape of a five-pointed star. "Remember what this symbol means Master Yoh. The person who wears that emblem is deemed the strongest and wisest man in the kingdom." The warrior withdrew his sword then pulled his student up. "You are the heir to the Kasai throne, Your Highness. Live up to it."

Yoh sighed and gave his weapon to his trainor.

"I think that would be enough for today." The warrior collected the swords and whispered to the prince's ear, "I didn't know that she had that kind of effect on you, Master Yoh. Now I know your weakness." He went away chuckling to himself.

"That was the lamest match I had watched in my entire life!"

Yoh froze on the spot and slowly turned his head to see Anna walking towards him with a scowl on her face.

"I'm sorry you had to witness it." The prince scratched his head in embarrassment. "I guess we should go back to the palace for my academic training…"

"No, we won't. You are going to jog around this dueling field fifty times."

"But Anna…"

"That will be your punishment for making a fool of yourself earlier. Now go or I'll double the figure!"

The blond girl sat at a large stone as she watched the exhausted prince did alternate rounds of jogging, walking and running. She had to scream at him several times when he was slowing down or stopping to catch his breath. _I am actually helping you, Yoh. You can build your stamina from such heavy training. _She was certain of it for her best friend had been doing this every morning ever since he started training with Bason at the age of ten. _ I wonder how he is…_

* * *

><p>Prince Ren stared at the blue expanse before him. He was at sea again and he hated this return journey to the Royal Patch Academy. It was a smooth sailing for three days in a row as if the sea was trying to compensate for his sorrow. Yet he kept on waking up in the middle of the night calling out his dead fiance's name. <em>Yes, she's dead<em>. Sometimes he would like to repeat those words over and over again just so he could finally accept it and move on. He took the necklace with the rose pendant from his coat's pocket and gently caressed it. _Anna, I'm trying to be fine._ _ I'm going back to the Academy as planned. I was not able to tell you how deeply saddened I am the first time I left Kaminari three years ago. You did not see me off that time because you were too angry at me for suddenly leaving you behind. Wherever you are, I hope you are not as angry as before. _

His moment of pondering was shuttered with the boisterous laughter from one of the two sailors resting a stone's throw away from where he stood.

"So the person who owed you money suddenly disappeared the moment you got back to your town? What a scumbag! But admit it mate. You have been duped quite well."

"His relatives do not know where he is. They are probably hiding him but I'll look for that bastard all over Kaminari and even in Kouku when I return from this journey."

"You should try looking for him in those other two kingdoms as well. Maybe you would find him hiding there. Hahaha."

"Are you kidding me? I would lose my head."

"You had already lost it mate when you lent him three month's worth of your salary."

"My wife's going to kill me…"

* * *

><p><em>Anna is trying to kill me... <em>Yoh slumped to the ground and swallowed mouthfuls of air after finishing fifty rounds. The blond girl approached him and threw him a towel.

"Stand up we're walking back to the palace to begin your academic training."

"But Anna… it's nearly lunch time…" Yoh heard his stomach growling for food.

"All the more that you should stop whining and hurry up so you can eat at the palace."

"Oh that won't be necessary Anna." Amidamaru appeared from behind them carrying a basket. "I brought food for us. Let's eat under that tree."

The prince giddily ran towards the direction to which the swordsman pointed and carelessly lied down on the soft grass.

Anna rolled her eyes. _And I thought he was dead tired from my training. This boy had the mind of an eight -year old._

Amidamaru passed them sandwiches when the three of them had finally settled down. The prince happily munched on his.

"So how did you two meet each other?" the white-haired man asked curiously.

Yoh got choked on a piece of sandwich and had to gulp down a bottle of water while Anna completely ignored the question.

"Er… We met in Tochi. She was…" the prince fumbled for words.

"lost." Anna finished the sentence for him. "I had asked him for directions to the Kasai palace and he said he would accompany me since he was going there, too."

"Oh? But you two look comfortable with each other when I saw you. It seemed as if you have known each other already for quite some time."

Yoh can sense a hint of teasing in Amidamaru's remark but Anna thought the swordsman was becoming suspicious of her.

"Well the prince is easy to get along with."

"Yes, he is," Amidamaru agreed instantly. "So how was life in Chikyuu?"

Yoh suddenly panicked that his lie had finally reached his trainor. Nevertheless, the blond girl remained calm. There was no reason to be anxious.

"It was pleasant." Anna answered curtly.

"You were a governess once right? To be honest, I did not even think there was some well-to-do family in Chikyuu who can afford to have your services."

"It's not fair to generalize on what kind of people the Chikyuu townsfolk are, Amidamaru," the prince said sternly.

"You're certainly correct Master Yoh. Forgive me for saying such one-sided statements."

Nonetheless, Anna began to speak, "I resided in a magnificent house for many years. My master and mistress were always away so their only daughter was left to my care."

"You must have been lonely when you left…" Amidamaru felt guilty for stirring past emotions.

"Yes, I miss home…" The blond girl held back her tears.

The swordsman did not ask any further.

The prince stood up and broke the awkward silence. "Lunch was delicious. Thank you Amidamaru. Let's go back to the palace Anna. It's time for my geography lessons."

* * *

><p>King Yuan looked disapprovingly at the cobwebs that had accumulated in every corner of the fallen King Hideki's throne room. Since the murder of the Kouku royal family, the palace was vacated and shut off by its personnel as they were no longer serving anyone. Only four royal guards were employed by General Tori, the right hand man of the dead king, to prevent thieves and trespassers from entering the palace grounds. Three days ago the Tao monarch received a telegram from the general inviting him to be a distinguished guest in an upcoming assembly of Kouku's high-ranking warriors. The palace doors were reopened to accommodate the said gathering but the light and fresh air that flowed in were not enough to dispel the gloomy atmosphere of the once lively royal abode. The chamber where the king and queen were murdered was left locked and untouched since that night for the investigation was not yet over.<p>

The meeting had started a few minutes ago yet the only thing that caught King Yuan's attention was the empty throne before him. It was covered with a black sheet to signify that the rulers of the kingdom were dead. He had a strong feeling that he knew what the agenda for the day was all about.

"The townspeople are getting restless. They feel unsafe without a king. Who would lead us when another war breaks out?"

"Do not wish for another war, General Homura. Peace had prevailed for hundreds of years already because of the treaty."

"Are you blind General Tako? The murder of the royal family is a clear indication that Kasai and Kouri are declaring war against us."

"I suggest that you do not let your emotions blur your thinking, General Ishikawa. We have no proof that those two kingdoms were responsible for the crime."

"Then who do you think would have planned the whole murder if not them? Our beloved king has no known enemies."

"I agree. King Hideki is a peace-loving man. We should revive the investigation and wait for the results."

"The investigation will go nowhere. We all know it's against the laws of our land to cross borders to interrogate people from the other side."

"Then we will break the law as they had already done."

"Silence!" King Yuan pounded his right fist on the wooden table. The heated debate instantly died down and all the generals turned towards his direction.

"I think I am missing a point here," the Tao ruler began. "Why are we talking of war already when your kingdom's immediate concern is the absence of a leader?"

"Your benevolence is what had driven me to request for your presence, Your Highness" General Tori who was keeping quiet the whole time had finally spoken.

"What do you propose then, Your Majesty?" inquired General Ishikawa.

"The most logical thing to do, my dear generals. We need to find a new king."

"Perhaps Your Highness you would be so kind to take us under your leadership? After all, your son was supposed to marry our princess." suggested General Homura.

Majority of the attendees nodded their heads in approval.

King Yuan walked towards the throne and removed the dark and dusty cloth from it. "This seat should not remain empty for so long. However, I cannot grant your request to be king of Kouku. The treaty forbids the merging of the two kingdoms. We have to respect the laws of our forefathers."

"Forgive me for my impudence, Your Majesty but if not you, who will be our next king?" asked General Tako. "Must we contact the heads of the Kyouyama clan's branches?"

"That won't be necessary," King Yuan threw the black cloth aside and walked back to his seat. "King Hideki and his direct ancestors each had a single child. We have to do tremendous amount of work to retrace the Kyouyama family tree and determine among his existing distant relatives who would be next in line. General Tori, you are King Hideki's trusted right hand man. If there's someone in this room who is the ideal candidate to be Kouku's next ruler, it is you."

All eyes went to General Tori's side. "I am greatly humbled by your recommendation, Your Highness but I do not deem myself appropriate to be king of Kouku."

"Don't be foolish General Tori. King Yuan had made a wise choice," remarked General Ishikawa. "Those who agree must raise his right hand to pledge his allegiance and support to the new king."

Every man in the table raised his hand.

"So it is settled then. Congratulations General or should I say King Ryuuken Tori?" The Tao monarch smiled and bowed at the new ruler of Kouku.

"I'm not used to regal titles, Your Majesty. I would like to seek justice for the royal family's murders first before I'll let myself be called king."

"Very well, your will be done."

* * *

><p>End of Chapter 16<p> 


	17. Chapter 17: The Unexpected Guest

The Four Kingdoms

By Elle Pellano

A/N: A particular character's personality was purposely changed for her role. You have been warned. Hihihi.

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter XVII. The Unexpected Guest<strong>

Prince Yoh stretched his arms upwards and took a deep breath. "Ahhh, this feels nice!" The warm rays of the sun had a reinvigorating effect on him. He and his personal maid, Anna were currently wandering around the royal garden, his most favorite place in the palace. The statues of Kasai's former rulers seemed to wave and smile at him when he passed by. Despite having spent his entire childhood in the palace, the artistic rockeries and trees and well-maintained flower beds of the royal garden had never failed to mesmerize him. He made a mental note to find the gardener later in order to praise him for a job well done.

Anna scowled from behind the prince's back while he stooped down on a rose bush and inhaled the sweet fragrance of the red and pink flowers. She did not like the idea of strolling around the royal garden at this time of the day when she was given the task of educating the lazy heir of Kasai. However, she was bored of being stuck inside the palace and listening to the prince recite all the towns of his kingdom and their economic significance that she conceded to his request of going outside to get some fresh air.

_He's wearing that goofy expression again. What's with a bunch of roses anyway? _The blond girl approached the prince's objects of interest to find out for herself why he was so captivated by them. She ogled at the relatively large and vibrant dewdrop-covered flowers in full bloom. _The roses here are much prettier than Kouku's, even prettier than those given by Ren. _She slowly reached out to touch a red one but a thorn had caught her finger.

"Ouch!" Anna winced at the sight of blood.

Yoh retrieved a white handkerchief from his pants' pocket and firmly wrapped her pricked finger with it. "You should take extra care Anna."

The blond girl blushed at the gentleness of the prince's touch.

"That won't hurt much," he smiled at her.

"Of course! It's just a small thorn." Anna immediately snatched her hand away from his hold before he would notice the rosy tint on her cheeks. She walked past him and settled herself on a wooden bench near a shrub that was skillfully cut into a five-pointed star. "You really love the outdoors, don't you?"

The prince nodded with an enthusiasm of a five-year old child after being asked if he wanted some candy. He then followed Anna's steps and sat on the other end of the bench. The high stone wall surrounding the palace was visible from that spot. Prince Yoh let out an audible sigh which drew the attention of his personal maid.

"Do you still have the same feelings towards being a royalty, Anna?"

The blond girl stared at him for a few seconds then asked, "What are you talking about?"

"Well, when I first saw you…," the prince reminisced their first encounter at the Kaminari royal garden during Anna's engagement ball, "…you were complaining about the heavy burden of being a royalty because your future has already been decided for you."

"Well I take back those words. Being a princess is way better than being a personal maid to a laid-back prince."

Prince Yoh avoided her gaze and pushed back the guilty feelings. She's stuck at the Kasai palace because of him.

"Why are you asking me these anyway?" the blond girl looked annoyed.

"It's because…" Yoh looked up at the clear blue sky, "I often ask myself if I really wanted to be king…"

* * *

><p>The palace maid, Kanna straightened the creases of her uniform with her hands. There were drips of soap suds on her skirt as she had been doing the laundry when she was summoned by the head servant. Apparently, all the palace maids were suddenly pulled out from their chores to greet a very important guest that had unexpectedly arrived that morning. She took a quick glimpse at her two close friends standing still in line each wearing a vacant look. She guessed nobody knew who this high-profile visitor was.<p>

It must have been some foreign royalty who warranted this much attention from the Asakura household since all palace servants were asked to welcome him. All of them except that new girl called Anna who was promoted as the prince's personal maid in just a day. She gritted her teeth at the instant favor that was given to someone who was an amateur to the job. _Just because she's close to the prince…_ She hated how the blond girl responded with deaf ears and unusual calmness even if she was berated by the head servant and the cook for her lousy service. Kanna hated her snobbish attitude - Anna would constantly ignore the other palace maids when they inquired about her family, her hometown and her previous employment. It was like she was hiding her true self. Kanna swore she would reveal the blond girl's darkest secret to kick her out of the palace for good. In the mean time, she would have to wait patiently for the distinguished guest to alight the richly decorated carriage that had arrived just now.

"Oh my dear princess, it has been a long time," Queen Keiko quickly embraced the girl who came out of the carriage in a frilly pink dress. "Look at you. You've grown up beautifully."

"Thank you Your Highness. I came here as soon as I received the telegram from Uncle. Where is he by the way?"

"Oh he has some matters to discuss with his men in the throne room. He'll be seeing you during dinner."

"Uncle is always busy, isn't he? But I wonder where Yoh is? He did not welcome me back." The girl searched with her eyes through the gathering before her for the prince's face.

"My son doesn't know you're coming today. You truly surprised us all. We were not expecting you until next week so we did not tell him yet."

"I'm sorry… I got all excited when I found out that he has returned to Kasai. It's been quite a while since we last saw each other…" The girl let out a blush which matched the color of her hair.

"Well, you're going to stay with us now so you can catch up with him anytime. I'm sure he would be delighted to see you," the queen assured her. "Kanna, Marion, and Matilda…" the Asakura queen beckoned the three palace maids to step forward. "Kindly assist the princess just like the good old times."

_So she has finally returned. This is going to be interesting_. Kanna could not hide her smile as she picked up two pink suitcases.

* * *

><p>"Are you sure about that?" King Mikihisa looked gravely at the two men bowing down before him although his serious demeanor was hidden behind the bird mask. The spies he sent just got back from the other side of the Great Spirit's River to deliver an important report.<p>

"We're positive, your Highness," confirmed Ryuu, the taller of the two with a distinct goatee.

"We were at the central town when the funeral bell rung. We heard from the townsfolk themselves that the royal family was dead," added his partner, Manta.

"I see… Thank you for your service. I trust that you won't let this information leak. You may go and rest in your quarters," the king dismissed them.

"Your Majesty…" Manta rose up and took a small package from his pocket. "This is from him." The little guy stretched his little arm upward so that the king could reach for the piece of brown parcel.

King Mikihisa gently tore off the wrapper and found a folded paper and a little glass bottle containing green cream. The bottle had the label "For burn scars" pasted on it.

The Asakura monarch let out a slight smile, "Please extend my gratitude if ever you see him again."

"We will, your Highness," answered Ryuu. "Oh by the way, I saw your niece's carriage on our way to the palace. Is the princess here?"

"Ah yes, she had arrived about a minute ago. I made a promise to inform her once my son got back from his escapades but I did not expect her to come here so soon."

* * *

><p>"That's stupid! Any ordinary person would give up anything to be in your place." Anna snapped at her companion.<p>

"I know…" the prince sighed as he rested his back on the bench, "…but don't you get tired of knowing that everything has been determined for you - the role that you'll play, your responsibilities, your future spouse, your allies, and your enemies. Don't you secretly wish you were as normal as everyone else? A king has great power and control over his kingdom but he doesn't have as much freedom as a commoner."

"So what kind of life do you want then?"

"I want a life that is as unpredictable and as free as the wind." Yoh grinned at her.

"Only a lazy prince who's afraid of taking responsibility will say those words," snorted the blond girl.

"Sorry…" Yoh suddenly felt dejected. "I thought we shared the same sentiments when I heard you talking to your fiance."

"That's different! I'm quite fine with carrying the burden of managing the kingdom. What I can't stand is being subject to a whirlwind engagement and getting married first before I can fulfill my right to be queen."

"But even though it was arranged, you do like that Prince Ren of yours, right?"

The blond girl paused for a while - a slight blush forming on her cheeks. "Well he has been my friend ever since I was young. Ren has all the qualities that a girl would want in a man. How could I not like him?"

"I see…" The prince grew silent for a minute.

"What about you? Don't you have a fiance? The practice of arranged marriage is very common among the royal bloods."

"Errr… I do have one but I don't get to see her now. We were betrothed when we were ten years old. She was a distant relative of my father's."

"Does your fiance like pink a lot?" Anna suddenly asked out-of-the-blue.

"How did you know?" the prince gave her a quizzical look. The blond girl responded by pointing at his side.

Yoh squinted his eyes at a fast-approaching body of pink lace and ribbons to check if he is not hallucinating, "Is that…?"

The prince stood up in surprise when the pink-haired girl jumped on him.

"I've been searching the whole palace for you. I miss you, Yoh!" the prince's fiancé hugged him tightly.

"I can't… breathe… Tamao…"

* * *

><p>End of Chapter 17<p>

The Four Kingdoms FYI Section:

Tamao is not really a princess. It is more of a term of endearment that was used by the Asakura monarchy although the palace personnel would also refer to her as princess out of respect for the king. She is a distant relative of Mikihisa, a rich commoner who only got his title as king when he married Princess Keiko Asakura. Tamao was chosen by the Asakura clan to be the future wife of their heir. When Prince Yoh was formally selected to be the next king of Kasai over his twin brother, he and Tamao got engaged at the tender age of 10.


	18. Chapter 18: The Old Queen's Favor

The Four Kingdoms

By Elle Pellano

A/N: I'd be revealing the Mankin characters and the roles that they will play in this fic gradually so I hope you could bear with this story's slow pacing.

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter XVIII. The Old Queen's Favor<strong>

"I can't… breathe... Tamao…"

"Oh, I'm sorry Yoh!" The pink-haired girl let go of her choking fiancé. "I couldn't restrain myself. I just miss you so badly!"

"It's been quite a while… I wasn't expecting you to come," the prince forced out a smile.

"I'd like to surprise you!"

"Well I am surprised alright," Yoh muttered under his breath. _This is troublesome… I had to fulfill my fiancé duties to Tamao while keeping my promise to Anna. _The prince turned his head towards the blond girl's direction. His personal maid had her arms folded across her chest and wore her usual scowl.

Tamao noticed Yoh's inattentiveness and looked at the source of his new found interest. _So this must be the maid that Kanna has been talking about…_

* * *

><p><em>Flashback…<em>

"_I can't seem to find Yoh in his room," Tamao sat on her fluffy bed full of frustration and disappointment. The three maids, Kanna, Marion and Matilda who always attended to her when she was around were busy unpacking her things and keeping them in their respective places._

"_Have you tried looking in the royal garden, princess?" suggested Matilda, the cheeriest of the three. "His Highness likes to go there when he's not doing his training. He can't possibly be outside the palace vicinity for the king had forbidden him to leave without his permission." _

"_Ah yes, I haven't checked there." Tamao sprang from the bed excitedly._

"_The prince is probably with the new servant girl," Kanna, the eldest of her chamber maids, thought out loud. "She was his favorite among us all. His Highness especially requested her to be his personal maid. I think she's trying to get the prince to fancy her," she watched the pink-haired girl's reaction from the corner of her eye._

_Tamao's nostrils slightly flared up. "I'll see for myself…"_

* * *

><p>"I need to do some work, Your Highness. Please excuse me," Anna started to walk away from the pair and headed towards the palace.<p>

"But Anna… we're not done with my tutoring session yet…" Yoh called after her.

"We'll double the hours tomorrow. You're hands are quite full today," the blond girl glowered at him then left the couple by themselves.

Anna sighed when she was finally out of their hearing range. "Pull yourself together, Anna Kyouyama... Why would you become so irritated when you saw her hugging him? More importantly, why is that girl throwing dagger looks at you?" She took a quick glance at the prince behind her. "You better not be too much distracted, Yoh. Remember your promise."

"Your personal maid, I presume?" Tamao put her hands on her hips. Jealousy was written all over her face.

"Er… yes…"

"I honestly did not expect you to request for a personal maid, Yoh. It's the sort of thing your twin brother would do."

Yoh scratched his head and grinned nervously. "Well, I had reasons…"

* * *

><p>"Oh, you poor girl…"<p>

Anna found her co-worker, Kanna waiting near the entrance of the palace's left wing. They shared a mutual enmity towards each other's existence so the blonde ignored the earlier remark and walked past her.

"Why so sullen?"

The nosy maid must have noticed her in deep thought as she went through the doorway. Anna pretended she did not hear her.

"Oh I know! Have your plans been thwarted after your beloved prince's fiancé showed up?"

Anna paused. _What the hell is this girl implying? _She abruptly turned around to face her accuser and without losing her cool, she said to her, "I've been busy thinking of things that a person as dull as you cannot comprehend." Then she turned her back on the blue-haired maid and continued on her way.

Kanna angrily grabbed Anna's arm and swung her around violently so that they were facing each other. With the strength of a man, she seized her by the shoulders in an act of threatening to raise her up and throw her like a ragdoll.

Kanna was much taller than her but Anna wasn't the least intimidated. She fought back by grabbing two fistfuls of her tormentor's long blue hair.

"I'll tear these strands from your scalp if you don't let me go now," the blond girl did not utter an empty threat. She would definitely make this woman pay. Nobody can bully a _Kyouyama _even if she was not in her own territory.

"I know your motive. You are the type of person who would seduce a nobleman to become a princess!"

"Huh, aren't you describing yourself?"

"Why you little b-"

"What is going on here?" an old stern voice caused the two maids to let go of each other's grip.

The former queen, Kino Asakura approached the quarreling servants. "That's a big accusation you got there, Kanna." She apparently heard their heated argument.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty. But what I'm saying is true!" Kanna pointed at the blond girl. "We have an opportunistic personnel in our midst! She would only cause trouble here. You should fire her while it's not too late!"

"Enough!" The old queen thumped her cane loudly on the floor. "I don't tolerate fighting in my house. Someone would really lose her job if you don't get back to your respective chores!"

Kanna shot the blond girl a glare then stomped furiously away. Anna remained not knowing where to go for her task was to tutor the prince. She was spared from making a decision and a lie when Queen Kino addressed her.

"You are Anna, my grandson's personal maid, right?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

"What Kanna is saying earlier, is it true?"

"If I say 'yes', you would hate me. If I say 'no,' you would still hate me for you'd think I'm a liar. So I better not answer your question, Your Majesty. I don't need to explain or defend myself."

The old queen smiled. "You are a feisty girl, Anna. You remind me so much of myself when I was younger. Would you care to accompany me during my tea break? My husband is currently in bed suffering from arthritis."

The blond girl nodded a bit surprise with the old queen's friendly gesture.

* * *

><p>"And what could be your reasons, Yoh Asakura?" Tamao demanded a good explanation from her fiance.<p>

"It's because… you know… I'm lazy so I need someone to push me…" the prince scratched his head. Why is it so unusual for him to ask for a personal maid? He is a prince after all. If his twin brother had been in his position, nobody would have questioned him.

"Ok… So that's only one reason. What are the others?"

"Did I say REASONS? I only meant REASON," Yoh laughed nervously.

"Hey, look what we found here," remarked a familiar voice which saved the prince from his fiancé's further inquisition.

"Manta! Ryuu!" exclaimed Yoh. A big smile was painted on his face.

"Your Highness, why did you suddenly leave us in the forest? We were so worried sick!" the tall guy berated the prince.

"You're starting to sound like Amidamaru…"

Manta chuckled, "Don't mind him, Your Highness. He's like that because the king was in a bad mood when we returned to Kasai without you."

"Oh, I'm sorry for causing trouble," the prince bowed down.

"That's not necessary Your Highness!"

"We were just kidding!"

The two men waved their hands frantically so that the young monarch would not feel so guilty.

"I did not see you guys as soon as I came home. Did father send you to another mission?" inquired the prince.

"Yes, he did. It's a very important one." The tall guy's face turned serious. "It's about -,"

"Ryuu!" Manta shot him a warning look. "I'm sorry Your Highness but this is classified information…" He felt ashamed for hiding something from the prince but they had made a promise to the king earlier not to tell anyone about their recent escapade across the Great Spirit's River.

Thankfully, a clearing of throat came from the neglected pink-haired girl that ended the awkwardness.

"Hello my dear Princess Tamao!" Ryuu clasped his hands together and gazed dreamily at the prince's fiancé.

The girl ignored him and grabbed Yoh's arm. "If you are done talking to him, we are leaving!" She walked towards the palace entrance dragging the prince along with her.

"Are you staying for awhile in Kasai? Let's catch up later guys!" Yoh called out to the two men.

"Not too long, Your Highness. Maybe next time!" answered Ryuu.

"See you when we see you, Prince Yoh!" Manta waved at him.

The two chuckled when the couple was out of their sight.

"Manta, the prince is really preoccupied now, isn't he?"

"Well, it's inevitable when Princess Tamao is around. She always wants his full attention. Sometimes I pity the prince…"

"Why? She is a pretty girl." Ryuu wore a dreamy expression as if the princess was still there.

"Stop drooling on my hair!" Manta scrambled away from his partner and started walking towards the direction of the main gate. His friend followed catching up with him in one big stride.

"I miss spending time with the prince though…" Ryuu sighed.

"Me too…"

"So are you going back to your hometown now?"

"Yes, I miss my younger sister. I also need to help out with the family business while I'm free from work."

"I don't understand you, Manta. You're relatively well off but you still work in the palace."

"Well, my father is still strong and I'm a free spirit, just like you, Ryuu, just like the prince."

The tall guy smiled. "I guess that what made us friends in the first place."

"How about you? Are you going somewhere?"

"I'm going to see my friends at the pub."

"You're going to drink again until you're totally knocked out."

"I assure you, I won't. I'll be the last man standing in our drinking contest for I am Ryunosuke Umemiya, the most reliable spy in Kasai!" Ryuu laughed heartily.

"I don't think being a spy and a drunkard work well together," Manta muttered to himself.

* * *

><p>Anna slowly filled the old queen's cup with newly-prepared tea. They were at the balcony of one of the palace's elegant rooms.<p>

"Do sit down, Anna…"

The blond girl reluctantly reached for a chair and settled herself across the old queen.

"Tea is best enjoyed with other people, don't you think?"

"If I may not be so rude to ask," Anna started, "why aren't there any servants attending to your needs, Your Majesty?"

"Oh, I send them off to do other tasks."

"The topic of our conversation is of great importance then."

"You are indeed a smart girl as expected from a former governess." Queen Kino couldn't hide her admiration for her.

Anna felt uneasy for even the old queen knew her made-up personal background. She hated lying to this kind elderly woman, the only person in the palace who befriended her aside from the prince.

"You and my grandson seemed to be very close."

The blond girl slightly blushed at this remark.

"Yoh has a tendency to get comfortable with his tutors. Perhaps it's the time spent together that creates his special bond with them."

Queen Kino took another sip of her tea. "After all, he didn't have many acquaintances and the ones that he considers friends are always away."

_Sometimes it's really lonely to be a royalty. _ Anna thought.

"Being the next heir of Kasai must have put a lot of weight on his shoulders since he was a young boy. Although my grandson does not open up with us, we know that he doesn't want to take the responsibility."

Anna remembered her previous conversation with the prince. It's true. There's no need to confirm or deny it.

"With that being said, I have a big favor to ask from you… " continued the old queen, "Perhaps... you can talk some sense to Yoh to accept what has been laid out for him. I do think he would listen to you. Yes, he is lazy and immature but it's unlikely for him to leave his throne and run off. Nevertheless, I don't want him to be half-hearted when he takes the position in the near future. Can I count on you, Anna?"

The blond girl nodded. "I'll do my best, Your Majesty."

* * *

><p>End of Chapter 18<p>

Four Kingdoms FYI:

Kino is not blind here though her vision is blurring due to old age.


	19. Chapter 19: The Tao Princess

The Four Kingdoms

By Elle Pellano

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

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><p><strong>Chapter XIX. The Tao Princess<strong>

Anna found herself pouring another cup of tea for the old queen, Kino Asakura who had taken a liking to her. For the past 3 days she had been invited over by the former queen of Kasai to join her during her lonely tea time. Old King Yohmei had still not yet recovered from his arthritis and was spending the whole day resting in the royal chamber and being cared for by at least five young pretty palace maids. The aged queen seemed to be annoyed at the current setup but this was something she had to bear for the sake of her husband's fast recovery.

"I would make him pay when he's already well," she told the blond girl. "I'm sorry for asking so much of your time. I know your duty is to my grandson."

"It's fine, Your Highness," Anna took the usual seat across the queen. She appreciated the invitation to a hot cup of tea for she was feeling a little cold since morning. "Our tutoring session is over and I have already cleaned his room. Besides my company is unwanted for his fiancé is keeping him busy all the time."

The old queen chuckled, "Do I sense a hint of jealousy in your voice?"

The blond girl blushed. "Oh no, Your Majesty. It's just that they were always inseparable to the point that I always carry out our lessons with both of them in the room. Princess Tamao is whispering the answers to the prince every now and then." Anna recalled how she angrily slammed the book down the table and walked out of the prince's room earlier. Their tutoring session ended abruptly because of this. She thought she heard Prince Yoh called after her as she closed the door of his room but she was not in the mood to listen to his apology.

"Hmmm… Tamao is quite a nuisance then?"

"I'd rather prefer that the prince be fully concentrated with his studies."

"I'm sorry if Tamao's causing you trouble…" the old queen sighed. "She must have taken my words seriously."

Anna gave her a questioning look.

The old royal continued, "Tamao's not like that before. She was a timid little girl whom I thought was very gullible. I did not approve of the family's decision to betroth her to the next heir of the kingdom but there were no other decent ones to choose from. I told her once that if she wanted to become queen, she must live up to our expectations. Whenever I see her around the palace, I always advise her to toughen up and carry herself with a little pride. She must have interpreted it a little differently."

_No wonder she is like that. She must have been afraid to lose her fiancé that's why she is so clingy to him, _thought Anna.

"No matter how sorry I am for turning her into what she is now, it's already too late. I have to accept what she had become. After all, she is part of the family and she loves my grandson…"

Anna could feel the old queen's sincerity. _ She is not bad as she thought she is._

"Perhaps that is the magic of love. You'd be willing to change or give up a part of yourself for someone you think is worth everything." Queen Kino smiled. "I gave up being a headmistress of a school in our town just to marry Yohmei. Have you ever done something outrageous for someone, Anna?"

The blond girl thought for awhile. _The only crazy thing I did is to become a palace servant to the prince of an enemy kingdom. But I did it to save myself…_

"Don't tell me you have never fallen in love with someone yet?" teased the aged queen when Anna gave no response.

"I did…" The blond girl said reluctantly, "when I was younger…"

"Is he a childhood friend of yours?"

"Yes…" Anna finally confessed to someone that she was secretly in love with her best friend.

"So what happened? Why didn't it work out?" Old Queen Kino asked with keen interest.

"Well, he left me for three years and he never wrote to me. I thought he had totally forgotten about me. I guess all my affections towards him were replaced with anger." This was also the first time that she had admitted to someone how she was deeply hurt when he had left her.

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder. Perhaps he had his reasons. Why not give him a chance?"

"Maybe I should…" Anna looked down at her tea cup which was almost empty. _But by the time I get out of this place perhaps he has completely forgotten about me. There's no reason he would think that I'm still alive. _She poured herself another hot cup for she was feeling cold again.

* * *

><p>"It's so sweet of you to visit me, little Ren!" a woman with green tresses beamed at the Kaminari royal from across a long wooden table.<p>

"Stop calling me little. I'm already seventeen years old," the Tao prince glared at his older sister, Jun. His journey at sea had ended earlier than expected so he decided to drop by his older sister's mansion which was in the same town as the port where the ship had landed.

"Time does fly so fast, doesn't it? You're all grown up and then you'll soon be married off just like me."

Prince Ren noted a tinge of bitterness in his sister's voice despite the grin that she gave him. He was quite aware of her unhappy married life although she had not openly told him about it. His sister was thrown into an arranged marriage with a foreign duke by their father because he had vehemently opposed to her relationship with one of Kaminari's lieutenants. Although Princess Jun had consented, the forced marriage had severed ties between father and daughter. She had not written to her family nor visited Kaminari ever since the wedding.

"Your husband is away I presume?"

"Oh yes, he has some business to attend to so he is not always here."

Aside from a few servants standing by the door, they were the only ones sharing a sumptuous lunch. Prince Ren couldn't imagine how lonely his sister must have been eating meals all by herself. Her marriage with the duke had not produced any offspring to whom she can divert all her love and attention.

"Ren, I'm sorry for not attending your engagement ball… I received a telegram from Mother but I couldn't bear to see the king. I still haven't forgiven Father for what he did. Do accept my congratulations though." The duchess lightened her mood, "I'm glad you are to marry Princess Anna, the girl you have always loved since you were a little boy."

The prince almost choked on the steak he was eating. His father, Bason and now his sister… Just how many people could have known about his fondness towards his best friend? However, the mention of his fiancé's name had brought back heartbreaking memories to him. He did not feel like enjoying his lunch anymore.

Jun noticed the sudden change in her little brother's demeanor. "What's wrong Ren? Don't you like the food? I'll ask the cook to prepare a different dish for you."

"I guess they haven't told you…"

"Told me about what?"

"The Kouku royal family was murdered…"

The duchess rose from her seat and rushed towards her little brother. "Oh Ren, I did not know. I'm sorry… Who could have done such atrocity?"

The prince spent the next few minutes narrating to his sister what had transpired in Kouku.

"We buried the king and queen before I left for the Royal Patch Academy but we were not able to find Anna's body. Tell me, Jun, am I at my wit's end for believing that she is still alive despite everyone urging me to move on?"

His sister knelt down before him and patted his head just like when they were kids. If he had not been so depressed, Prince Ren could have slapped her hand away in embarrassment.

"Why do you think she's still alive?" Jun gazed at him pitifully.

"I just know that she is. Besides we have only searched within the territories of Kouku and Kaminari."

"What are you implying?" The duchess stood up and placed her hands on her hips. She could sense that her brother was up to something.

"We haven't looked for her at the other side of the Great Spirit's River. I heard two sailors talking about searching for a missing person in Kasai and Kouri. Even though they meant it as a joke, I couldn't help but think that they may have a point. It is worth a try."

"That is dangerous Ren! Do you know you can lose your head for trespassing? How are you going to carry out your plan?"

"I'll find a way. If I don't find her there, then that's the time I'll accept that she's dead."

"You're strong-headed as always," the duchess sighed and went back to her seat. "Even if I tell you to give it all up, I know that you won't. Go find her if it would soothe your aching heart but just in case your search is fruitless, I want you to promise me that you would continue to live your life and just be thankful that Anna was a part of it."

The Tao heir nodded and took another bite of steak. He was grateful for having a sister like Jun.

* * *

><p>"Grandma!" Prince Yoh burst through the door leading to Queen Kino's favorite balcony where she's spending her tea break with Anna. He panted heavily and seemed to be in a rush. "I'm sorry… for disturbing your tea time… but can I… borrow Anna from you?"<p>

"You have disrupted an interesting conversation Yoh," the old royal answered him sternly. "…but you may do so for she is at your disposal."

Anna stood up and thanked the old queen for inviting her again. She then went over to the prince who instantly apologized to her, "I'm sorry if we had offended you in some way… Mother took Tamao for shopping at the central town. We can continue with our tutoring session."

As soon as they were out in the hallway, the blond girl folded her arms and glared at the prince, "I don't feel like teaching you anymore."

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry, Anna! It won't happen again," the prince bowed down. He could feel his personal maid eyeing him from head to foot.

"Come."

Anna had uttered the word with extreme calmness that he was sure she was planning on doing something sinister to him. They ended up walking towards the training grounds. Yoh wanted to sink to his feet.

"50 rounds and make it quick!" the blond girl pushed him when he merely gaped at the dusty ground.

The prince sweated hard as he jogged under the scorching heat of the afternoon sun. He swore to himself that he'll ask Tamao not to bother him anymore during his tutoring sessions with Anna. He glanced over the tree where his personal maid was staying to check how she's doing. Before she left his room earlier, he had tried to tell her to take a good rest first for she did not look so well but she had already slammed the door behind her.

The Kasai heir approached his personal maid by the time he had finished his fifty rounds of non-stop jogging. He found her lying down on the ground probably sleeping due to boredom.

"Anna, I'm finished…" Yoh whispered audibly but the blond girl did not budge.

"Anna?" He touched her cheek to gently slap her awake but her hot skin had told him of her feverish state.

The prince carried her in his arms and hurriedly walked towards the palace ignoring the weird stares he received from the servants that he had run into. He gently laid the blond girl on his large soft bed then took a basin of warm water and a towel from the bath room. He wiped her face and arms before placing the damp towel on her forehead.

"You don't look so scary when you're asleep, Princess Anna…" Yoh smiled as he gazed at her then he slapped his forehead in embarrassment. He would have received a good spanking had the blond girl been conscious at that time.

"Don't…" a soft whisper came out of Anna's lips.

"I'm not doing anything. I swear!" Yoh raised his hands as if proving his innocence.

However, the girl did not respond to him and continued murmuring in her sleep.

The Kasai heir sighed in relief. She was just sleep talking after all. She's probably having a dream or a nightmare. He listened attentively so he could understand what she was saying.

"Don't… leave… me…"

Prince Yoh hesitantly took her hand. He blushed furiously as he wrapped his fingers over hers.

"Don't… leave me… "

"I won't Anna…" he whispered to her.

"Don't go... Ren…"

He felt a slight pang on his chest. Why is he suddenly wishing for her to call out his name instead?

* * *

><p>End of Chapter 19<p>

Four Kingdoms FYI: Although the first born, Princess Jun is not considered the next heir of Kaminari because she is a girl.


	20. Chapter 20: The Coming of An Ally

The Four Kingdoms

By Elle Pellano

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

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><p><strong>Chapter XX. The Coming of An Ally<strong>

"_I'm leaving tomorrow…" _

_There was hesitation in his voice when he broke the news to her. He diligently waited for her response but she quickly turned her back on him and pretended to be more interested in what she was seeing through the window of the palace library than what he had just told her. It wasn't the kind of reaction he was expecting from her. He was waiting for her to scream and berate him for notifying her of his sudden departure after two weeks of not showing up in the palace. However, she remained silent and this had made him feel uncomfortable and a little scared._

"_It was the king's orders…." He tried to explain. He wanted her to know that the decision was not made by him but by his persistent father. There was no way he could disobey his father's wishes. After all, he had threatened him that he would lose his right as heir if he would not agree to his terms. His father always got what he wanted. He was the sort of man who would force his own daughter to marry a stranger just because he didn't like her lover. _

"_I'm sorry for not telling you sooner. I had to prepare for my departure…" It was not entirely a lie although the palace servants were the ones who packed his belongings. He just dreaded this day that he would have to say goodbye to her. They had been friends for more than seven years already so this separation would take some time getting used to. It took him also two weeks to gather up enough courage for he was planning to confess to her about his long-kept feelings before he leaves for the academy. _

"_When will you be back?" she finally spoke without facing him._

"_After four years…" These words brought a feeling of homesickness to him even though he had not yet left. He just realized how long he would be away from the kingdom and from her. "… I'll be back before father formally bestows on me the right to the throne." _

"_Have you got anything more to say?" she asked as if implying that she was getting bored with their conversation already but the prince took it as an opportunity._

"_Well, there is something…" He whispered before hesitatingly enclosing her in an embrace to which she let out a silent gasp. Her shoulders tensed and she stood enveloped in his arms as stiff as a stone statue. He did not care if she did not even bother to turn around to face him or return his embrace. His mind was made up. He was going to tell her now that he had been secretly in love with her all these years. _

_His heart pounded, his cheeks were flushed and his hands were clammy when he took one big breath before uttering... _

"_I'm going to miss you." _

_Those were not the words that he wished to say although in all honesty he was surely going to miss her. He cursed himself for becoming weak in the knees all of a sudden. Perhaps it could be attributed to his fear of rejection. He did not want to leave the kingdom feeling miserable because his best friend broke his heart. He was the son of the proud King Yuan Tao after all._

_The princess quickly pulled herself away from his embrace and stared at him with piercing eyes._

"_Stop it."_

_He was slightly offended by her gesture. "It was just a small hug, Anna. It's not like we never did it before. Why are you suddenly so angry?"_

"_Why won't I be? You stopped coming over for two weeks for no apparent reason then all of a sudden you're saying goodbye because your father told you to leave."_

"_I had no choice." He tried to control his temper. "Please Anna… I don't want us to part with ill feelings toward each other."_

"_You always have a choice Ren and you chose to leave so GO," she pointed towards the door. "But if you leave now, I won't speak to you anymore!"_

_It was pointless to reason out with her when she's angry. He knew this too well. With a heavy heart, he slowly paced towards the door and reached for the knob. This is not how he had imagined their meeting to end._

"_Believe me Anna. I would choose to stay but the whole kingdom depends on me. I hope you'll see me off at the Kaminari port tomorrow morning," he muttered to her but he was certain that she won't come. She was too furious at him to grant his simple request. _

_The princess' air of indifference dissipated the instant her best friend had closed the door behind him. When she can no longer hear his footsteps, she dropped down to her knees and released all the bitter tears that she had been trying to control._

"_Don't leave me… Don't go Ren.."_

* * *

><p>Anna opened her eyes and found herself in a spacious elegantly furnished room. If not for the brunet who was snoring from a chair by the bedside, she could have thought that she was back at the Kouku palace for she was comfortably lying on a large fluffy bed with a golden chandelier hovering above her. The prince's chamber began to dim with the setting of the sun. Just how long had she been in there? The last thing she remembered was asking the prince to do fifty rounds of jogging as a punishment.<p>

_I must have fainted and carried by the prince into his room._ The long sleep had brought back her health. Her fever was almost gone and she felt completely reinvigorated. She turned her gaze to the boy who was drooling on the bed cover. More than his stupid facial expression, it was their intertwined hands that had caught her attention. A blush crept to her cheeks. She tried to pull her hand from his but he had held on to it more tightly.

"Wake up, wake up, Yoh!" she shook his shoulders forcefully with her other hand but the prince only grunted and continued sleeping. It seemed that he got too tired from what she had ordered him to do earlier.

"Fine, you may rest for a few minutes more." She removed a piece of leaf that was sticking on his raven head and gently smoothened out the wayward strands of his hair. "Thank you Yoh… for staying by my side."

Suddenly the door burst open and a heaving pink-haired girl excitedly appeared, "I'm back Yoh!"

* * *

><p>The Kasai royal family's dinner that night started off intensely with Tamao announcing that she wanted her fiancé's personal maid out of the palace.<p>

"What did she do?" Queen Keiko inquired.

"When we have returned from our short trip, Your Highness, I found that girl in Yoh's bed."

"You're overreacting Tamao," her fiance said between bites.

"Well, was she really in your bed, grandson?" old King Yohmei asked with an amused expression. He was reprimanded with a stern look from his wife.

The prince reddened with embarrassment. "Er… yes, I let her sleep in my bed Grandpa. She was sick with fever. In fact, she had lost consciousness earlier."

"Oh dear, is she okay now?" his mother asked worriedly.

"I think so. She's resting in her own sleeping quarters."

"Don't be fooled, Yoh. She's just feigning her sickness to seduce you," the pink-haired girl couldn't let this one go. "I know the likes of her. She would do everything to elevate herself from her impoverished state even to the point of using her body as -"

"Stop it Tamao," Yoh slammed his goblet down the table. Everyone's eyes were on him even those of his father who was not participating in the conversation.

The prince felt awkward. Now he was the one who seemed overreacting. Thankfully, the goblet was of high-quality glass so it did not break into pieces. Otherwise, the head servant would be extremely annoyed. It's just that he couldn't allow anyone to accuse his personal maid with anything lewd. "Anna's not like that," he said calmly.

"Why are you defending her? Have you known her long enough for you to attest that she is a fine lady as you claim her to be?" Tamao asked with spite.

"No but-"

"I saw her touching you with my own two eyes," the girl's eyes blazed with fury.

"She was removing the dust from my hair."

"How did you know? You were asleep all the time!"

"I was almost awake." Maybe pretending to be asleep just so he could continue holding Anna's hand was a wrong idea.

"Silence! This conversation is going nowhere," it was the king who broke the tension between his son and his niece.

"Jealousy is a green-eyed monster," old Queen Kino recited the famous saying. She eyed the seething Tamao as she sipped her red wine.

"If you two cannot avoid bickering, at least pledge to me that you'll momentarily stop for the whole duration of the day tomorrow," the king looked at Yoh then at his fiancé who both nodded vigorously. "A very important guest will be coming over and I expect proper behavior from you. You are not little children anymore. Act as if you were the next rulers of Kasai."

The king then turned to his wife and softened his voice, "My dear queen, have you gotten the gifts for our visitor?"

"Yes, my king. I had asked help from Tamao in selecting the most elegant ones."

"Who is coming over Father?" Yoh asked curiously.

* * *

><p>Anna was beginning to lose her patience. She had just gotten well from her fever and they were already making her stand in line with the rest of the maids for over an hour. They were instructed by the head servant last night to wake up early, bathe themselves and put on their best uniforms for the king of Kouri was to visit the palace. Even the royal family had prepared themselves for the coming of such a high-profile person. Prince Yoh was dressed regally and his usual mess of black hair was tied up in a neat pony tail. The blond girl couldn't help but notice how fine-looking the goofy prince was when he acted prim and proper. Yoh must have sensed her staring at him for he had looked her way and threw her his characteristic smile. Anna ignored him and diverted her attention towards the palace's main door.<p>

The blowing of trumpets by the court musicians had announced the arrival of an ornately-decorated brown carriage pulled by four white horses. A pageboy held the carriage door open while a brawny man alighted from it. All the palace servants bowed down as the man entered the palace throwing suspicious looks at every direction.

_So is this the king? Why is he dressed so meagerly? Kouri must have been a very poor kingdom. _Anna thought.

"It's alright, Tona. This is familiar territory. Don't scare them off," a young man's voice was heard from behind the muscular guy.

The king's body guard moved aside and let his master pass. A young man with a light blue hair dressed in white and blue robes appeared before them.

"Welcome to our humble abode, King Horokeu," the palace servants greeted in unison.

"Hello Kasai people." He flashed everyone a big grin.

* * *

><p>As soon as friendly greetings had been exchanged, King Mikihisa lost no time in discussing business with the head of his ally kingdom. They entered the throne room to have some privacy but he remained standing as he conversed with his fellow king.<p>

"Your visit must be of extreme importance as you have come here yourself."

"To tell you the truth, I really have no idea King Miki," the young ruler scratched his head.

The Kasai monarch noted to himself to tell his friend, the former leader of Kouri to advise his son not to call him that nickname.

"But Father asked me to personally give this to you," King Horokeu took out an envelope with the elaborate dry seal of a wolf.

"How is Lycan by the way?" King Mihikisa inquired after receiving the letter.

"Father said he is enjoying his free life as a commoner because he can look after my sister while she's studying at the academy. I think he's just spying on Pirika and her suitors."

The king of Kasai smiled, "That is a possibility. I'd be as strict as he is to my own daughter if I had one. Well, King Horokeu, thank you for this letter. I won't be keeping you long in this boring discussion. Please enjoy your short stay in Kasai."

"It was my pleasure King Miki," the Kouri monarch gave him a thumbs-up and left the room in haste.

King Mikihisa sighed, "What were you thinking Lycan? You could have let your son enjoy his youth first before pronouncing him king."

He tore the envelope open and read silently his friend's correspondence. It was a short one but it was enough to convince him. He folded the paper afterwards and called out to the guards stationed at the throne room's entrance. "Tell the head royal guard to look for Manta and Ryuu. I'll be sending them to another mission."

* * *

><p>End of Chapter 20<p>

A/N: The character Tona is a member of Team Icemen.


	21. Chapter 21: The Royal Patch Academy

The Four Kingdoms

By Elle Pellano

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter XXI. The Royal Patch Academy<strong>

Tamao peered through the key hole of her fiancé's door. The prince was scratching his head in embarrassment while his tutor stared at him with an irritated look. It seemed that Yoh had failed again to respond correctly to his personal maid's queries. Had she been there, she could have instantly whispered the answers to him. Tamao had wanted to spend time with her Yoh but old Queen Kino's warning against her interference with the prince's study session was keeping her from barging into the room. She was afraid of the former queen of Kasai ever since she was young. She did not wish to be on her bad side and so she could do nothing but to wait outside the room for the session to be over. Yet she must continue to keep an eye on her fiancé before he becomes completely ensnared with that scheming blond girl called Anna.

_Yoh and I are perfectly happy._ _Why did she have to come into our lives? Who is this Anna anyway? _

"Who are you spying Tamao?" a playful voice whispered to her ear.

The pink-haired girl veered to the right to face and reprimand the intruder of her privacy but the narrowness of their gap had unexpectedly landed her lips into his.

A loud scream from behind the door had instantly brought the occupants of the room to their feet. The door swung open to reveal an alarmed Prince Yoh followed by a startled Anna whose worried expression quickly changed to annoyance when they found out the cause of the disturbance.

Tamao was repeatedly pounding and screaming on the bulky chest of Kouri's royal bodyguard, Tona who was shielding his flushed master from the frightened girl's blows.

"I'm sorry Tamao! I swear didn't mean to! Our faces were just too close!"

"That was my first kiss you moron! It was meant for Yoh and not for you!"

A number of palace maids and royal guards were already running towards the scene of the commotion.

"People, people, we can take things from here. This is just a minor misunderstanding," the king of Kouri grew even redder.

"It's alright guys, we can handle this," Prince Yoh tried to dispel the curious crowd.

"Don't drive them away, Yoh. They have to see how I would make this pervert pay!" Tamao angrily reached for King Horokeu's robes to no avail. Tona had successfully grabbed her arms.

"Argh! Let me go!" the pink-haired girl tried to scratch the bodyguard's cheeks.

"That's enough Tamao." With a commanding air, Old Queen Kino made her way through the small crowd. "That is unbecoming of a princess."

The pink-haired girl froze with shame and bowed her head down low in front of the former queen.

"I'm sorry your Majesty…."

The old queen ignored her and addressed the blond girl by the door, "Anna, please accompany my grandson and our guests to the royal garden. I have some business to finish here."

* * *

><p>"That was quite a ruckus there," stated Prince Yoh as they walked their way into the royal garden. He had to admit that his fiancé was way overboard but he couldn't help but pity her for he knew how severe his grandmother could get when it came to punishments. In fact, Anna reminded him so much of the old queen.<p>

"I'm sorry if I kissed your fiancé," King Horokeu let out a sigh. His visit to Kasai after five long years had only produced a scandal. Tamao would not forgive him that easily. "…but it was just an accident!" He had a secret admiration for his friend's fiancé but it's not like he wanted to kiss her. There's only one girl he had done it with though there would never be a chance to do it again.

"It's okay Horo-Horo," the Kasai royal grinned at him.

"I couldn't believe you. Someone stole your future wife's first kiss from you and you are not bothered at all. Do you even love Tamao?"

"I prefer not to answer that."

"Or perhaps another woman has enamored my dear friend?" The tall king swung his right arm over the prince's shoulder and asked mischievously in a whisper, "Say Yoh, who is that lovely lady with you?"

The prince glanced at the blond girl quietly walking in front of them. "She's Anna, my tutor and personal maid…"

"You've got a personal maid? Wow, and I thought your brother is the only demanding royal in this kingdom."

Prince Yoh sighed. _How come everybody's surprised that I requested for one?_

"But I envy you. I wish I had a cute girl to accompany me everywhere. Ever since I became king I'm stuck here with Tona."

"How is Pirika by the way?" Yoh asked changing the topic.

"Well, in the last five letters she wrote to me all she talked about was this certain prince who was getting on her nerves."

"Is he bullying her?"

"Not really. He was just completely ignoring her. According to her, he never talked to her or even acknowledged that she existed. When they were randomly paired for a school report, the prince had requested another person to switch partners with him. Those incidences that may mean nothing are what Pirika would babble about continuously. You know my sister, she's the sensitive type but I think it's just normal for that prince to treat her that way."

"Why? Do you know him personally?"

"No, but Pirika told me that he was the prince of Kaminari."

* * *

><p>The aroma of that morning's breakfast had filled the richly furnished dining hall of the Royal Patch Academy. Prince Ren hungrily made his way through a small group of girls who were engaged in an animated discussion about the latest fashion in the land. He was famished for he had a tiring journey last night. Fortunately, the headmaster had been informed about the date of his return by perhaps a telegram from his father and had made the guards wait for him until his arrival at the ungodly hour of midnight. King Yuan would surely berate him in a lengthy letter as soon as he found out that his return to the academy was delayed by more than six hours. It was his elder sister's fault. She had insisted that he stay longer in her mansion.<p>

Prince Ren spotted his favorite seat from one of the wooden tables in the dining hall, ignored the astonished stares from his two noble friends and began to feed on the delicious breakfast waiting for him.

"Now look who just came back from the sea," said a black boy with a fluffy curly hair who sat next to him.

"Don't start Chocolove," the Tao royal stuffed a piece of bread into his friend's mouth before he could even utter another word. "I'm not in the mood for one of your lame jokes."

"You just came back from home and you're already grumpy," his other friend chuckled.

"Renny is ALWAYS grumpy, Lyserg," Chocolove corrected him after washing down the piece of bread with milk.

"So why did you suddenly leave for Kaminari? Is everything alright with your kingdom?" the green-haired boy asked.

"I got engaged," Prince Ren muttered audibly without looking at them.

Chocolove's eyes sparkled. "Our Renny is getting married!" He exclaimed loud enough that every nobleman and woman in the dining hall directed their gaze towards the Kaminari prince.

"If you won't shut up, I'll stuff this whole apple into your mouth," threatened the Tao heir.

The black boy reclined to his chair. "Awww… I was just excited with the whole engagement thing."

"Are you marrying your best friend? The one you've been telling us about since we're fourteen?" Lyserg tried to calm Ren.

The prince nodded curtly.

"Congratulations then!" the green-haired noble held out his hand but the prince ignored it.

"Don't congratulate me yet."

"Why?"

With a hushed voice, Prince Ren told everything that had happened during his short vacation - the surprised engagement ball, the Kouku royal family's murder, the fruitless search for his fiancé. His return to Kaminari had only ended painfully.

"I'm sorry for asking," Lyserg lowered his gaze. What was he suppose to say to his friend after losing a girl he was in love with ever since he was a child?

"You were widowed even before you got married. That's so heartbreaking!" Chocolove was teary-eyed though he appeared to be exaggerating.

"Anna's not dead yet. She's just missing."

Chocolove and Lyserg fell silent and threw each other meaningful looks. Somehow they had quietly reached to a mutual decision not to upset their hurting friend as he was still in a stage of denial over the death of a loved one. There's no arguing with Ren not when it came to Anna. They had known that over the three years they had been friends with him.

It was the Tao heir who broke the awkward silence. "Where is your cousin Jeanne by the way?" he asked Lyserg when he noticed the empty chair beside him. He had to veer the discussion away from his missing fiancé for he knew his friends would only think that he had gone insane.

"Their butler Marco fetched her yesterday morning," Lyserg responded at once. "I heard that the duke's health is fading fast. Uncle must have asked for her presence. It'll make her feel better if YOU would comfort her when she returns, Ren," suggested the green-haired noble.

"Why? Can't you do it yourself?" asked the Kaminari prince who was oblivious to his friend's intention.

"Well, yes but I think you would understand her situation better than us." _That was a smart way to put it_. Lyserg thought.

"If Ren doesn't want to, I will gladly comfort Jeanne even if you did not ask me," Chocolove said dreamily.

"Thank you for your concern Chocolove but Jeanne would rather prefer her enigmatic fiancé over you."

"You are so mean, Lyserg," the black boy bit his lip. "… and I thought we'd make great cousins in the future."

"I am just telling the truth."

"I have all the looks and riches to compete for Jeanne's hand!"

"Hmmm… Though I have seen my cousin's fiancé only once, I do think he exceeds you in the first aspect."

"How come Jeanne never mentioned to me that she has a fiancé," Ren wondered out loud. "I've told her about Anna a couple of times but she did not say anything about her future husband."

"Maybe she doesn't want you to know because you'll stop being friends with her if you found out who her fiancé is."

_Oh crap. _ Lyserg scolded himself. _I have said too much._

The Tao prince stared at him with a baffled expression.

"Forget it, Master Silva is already beckoning us to follow him to class."

The three boys immediately left the dining hall and rushed towards the red carpeted corridor. A girl with a long light blue hair carrying a pile of books flurried alongside them. In her hurry she had lost her footing and fell face flat on the floor. Lyserg and Chocolove instantly went down to their knees to pick up the books while Ren helped the girl stand up.

It was the Kouri princess.

She was more flustered at being assisted by the Kaminari prince than having literally kissed the red carpet from her earlier fall. The two boys handed her the books and asked if she was alright. She hurriedly thanked them and went off to join the group of students trailing behind the tall brown-skinned instructor.

"That was Pirika Usui whom you have assisted, Ren," Chocolove uttered in disbelief.

"I know. So what?"

"Well she was like a disgusting cockroach to you. You NEVER went near her," Lyserg reminded him.

"She's in need. Besides, I'm not afraid of cockroaches. Come on," Prince Ren motioned them to hurry.

His two friends walked behind him trying to figure out if it was really the Kaminari prince who came back to the academy.

* * *

><p>End of Chapter 21<p>

The Four Kingdoms FYI: Jeanne and Lyserg are first cousins here.


	22. Chapter 22: Society of Royals

The Four Kingdoms

By Elle Pellano

A\N: I've posted a chapter that's longer than usual since I might not be able to update this story next week or the week after or the month after. Hmmm… I wonder when I'll be able to update…. But don't worry it doesn't mean I'm discontinuing this. I'll just become very busy starting this week. I'll try to post new chapters on my free time.

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

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><p><strong>Chapter XXII. Society of Royals<strong>

Prince Ren and his two friends who are heirs to their respective dukedoms hastily entered the small room which slightly resembled a mini library. There was a huge ancient world map displayed on the wall at the back of the room. Book cases full of thick and old volumes on the history of every monarchy and kingdom in the world lined up at both sides. In front of the room stood Silva, a member of the Patch clan whose roots can be traced to an old nobility of the land who had established the first preparatory school for royal bloods almost five centuries ago.

"Ah it's nice to see that your back Prince Ren," the instructor greeted the Tao heir the moment he saw him enter the room. "I'd like to think that of all courses in the academy, mine is what you missed the most."

The Kaminari prince groaned as he took his seat. _Society of Royals_ was his least favorite subject. He just couldn't acknowledge the need to study the history of other lands nor appreciate the importance of forming alliances with foreign kingdoms. Kaminari was contented with Kouku as its sole ally. They were formidable partners who are strong enough to stand against their neighbors or even against invading foreign kingdoms.

"As you all know, the Royal Patch Academy will be turning 500 years old three weeks from now," announced Silva. All nineteen pupils stared at him with no sign of interest or excitement.

"To commemorate the foundation of our beloved academy," he continued, "the management had decided to organize a friendship ball."

Eagerness shone in every female student's eyes. A ball meant dressing up in stylish gowns and beautifying themselves in front of their suitors.

"This will be attended by the young noble men and women from every kingdom in the world."

"Are you inviting even our enemy kingdoms? Why call it a friendship ball if there will be enemies coming?" a young lad scoffed at the whole idea.

"Yes, we are," the instructor confirmed with a tone of finality. "In fact our personnel had started delivering the invitation letters six months ago. To be fair, we had encouraged all kingdoms and dukedoms to send at most four representatives. However, it is really up to them if they would accept it or not."

Prince Ren was saddened. If Anna did not go missing, he would have danced with her again in the friendship ball.

"The friendship ball's objective is to promote peace and harmony among the monarchies." _Not to mention encourage new enrollees as the number of students had dwindled since that fateful incident three years ago. _Silva thought.

"As for all of you students, we already sent telegrams to your families two months ago and I'm glad to inform you that majority of them had responded positively. The list of those who were not permitted to attend is with assistant headmaster Bron. You may check with him after class. Those who will not attend the ball are all mandated to stay in the academy during the event."

Majority of the pupils crossed their fingers. This was a good opportunity to finally spend time outside school whose strict rules barred them from leaving its premises.

"This is a masquerade ball by the way," Silva grinned. "The use of masks will hopefully inhibit your prejudices against other clans and kingdoms." The instructor's gaze fell on the Kaminari prince who scowled when their eyes met.

"Following the tradition of masquerade balls, we will be asking all attendees to take off his mask as the closing activity of the event."

Students began conversing with their seatmates in excited whispers about what attire to wear or made guesses on who their families had decided for them to bring along in the ball.

"So Master Silva, can we go to town to purchase ball gowns, shoes masks and jewelry?" a tall gregarious girl beamed at the instructor.

"No," the man in front said flatly. "We had requested your families in the telegram to send in your ball attire and accessories starting this week. Moreover, I'd like to reiterate that leaving the premises of the academy without our knowledge is strictly prohibited. Our school rules will also be applied during the friendship ball. We will be deploying a special security force to patrol the venue."

The students did not seem to mind the stringent policies impose on them for the upcoming gathering of royals. The restless whispers from the students became loud thrilled chatters that the instructor had to quiet them down.

"Now, I'd like to remind you to exhibit proper manners and good etiquette during the ball. Remember you are representing your kingdom and your actions will clearly show what kind of monarchy you really are. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes Master Silva…" the whole class chorused.

"Good. Now, that announcement about the friendship ball is just an icing on the cake. The real exciting part here is your homework for my subject," smirked the Patch mentor.

Everyone grunted.

Silva took out a glass fish bowl containing small folded pieces of white paper. "All the young men, please come forward and pick one. Do not open it until I tell you to do so. Now Lyserg, let's start with you."

The green-haired boy who sat at the leftmost side of the front row stood up and approached the teacher's desk to make his pick. The rest of the male students followed.

The instructor spoke as soon as the last one got back to his seat, "Since males and females are equally numbered in this class, young men, you will be paired up with the name of a female classmate written in the paper you took. Your homework is to gather firsthand information about each other's kingdom. We will limit the information to the kingdom's history, its geography, demographics, culture and traditions. You are to read your report in front of the class a week from now. Oh and by the way, you are not allowed to exchange partners with another one if you're not comfortable with yours."

Chocolove and Lyserg shot a quick glance at the Kaminari prince.

"Otherwise, the purpose of this homework will be defeated. That is all. I would no longer prolong your excitement or agony, young men, you may now look at the paper."

Cries of triumph and groans were heard afterwards. Those who already peeked at the names left their seats and went to their partners to start on the assignment.

"Darn it! Why not her?" Chocolove pulled his hair from frustration as he approached Ren's table to check on his luck.

"I'm paired with my cousin. Disappointed Choco?" Lyserg walked behind him with a smirk. "I guess I can start with the research even if Jean's absent. After all, she's a relative. Who did you get Ren?"

The Tao heir seemed fixated at the unfolded paper he's holding.

"Lyserg," Chocolove nudged his friend as he peered at Ren, "don't you recognize that expression before? He made the same face when he picked -"

Ren abruptly stood up and put the paper on his desk for his two friends to read before he walked towards his partner's side of the room.

The name _Pirika Usui_ was written on it.

"We can change partners if you want to, Ren. I'm sure Master Silva would understand your situation," Lyserg called out to him but his friend just waved to tell him it was fine.

"Hey," the Kaminari prince pulled the nearby chair and sat next to the Kouri princess. "I guess we're partners in this."

"I can appeal to Master Silva if you don't want to pair up with me," the girl snapped at him.

"I doubt that he would listen to you. He already stated his policy regarding this homework. Besides, there are no enemy kingdoms in this academy," Ren took out his pen and notebook to begin his data gathering.

"Now look who's talking. You're the one who's been ignoring me all the time," Pirika folded her arms across her chest.

"Oh? And you were expecting some attention from me? Just can't resist my charms, princess of Kouri?" he sneered at her.

The girl's cheeks turned pink. In her embarrassment, she accidentally dropped her pen which the prince retrieved from the floor. She snatched it from his grip and started scribbling down on her notebook.

"Let's just get this done already! But I'm telling you I won't reveal too much information regarding our kingdom."

"Fine by me," said the prince.

* * *

><p>"So what's your progress?" Lyserg asked Ren during lunch break.<p>

The prince read out a few sentences from his scribbles and slammed his notebook shut afterwards. He started slicing his steak vigorously in frustration.

"After four hours of discussion, that's all you got from her?" Chocolove asked in disbelief. He was almost finished with his food as he had literally run into the dining hall the minute the bell rang.

"Well, I'm trying to be nice but she's trying to be difficult."

"Did you repay her deed by not telling something about your kingdom, too?" his green-haired friend teased him.

"No, I spent the whole time attempting to squeeze out information from her that there was no time left for me to give her mine. She said she'll just look it up in the references about Kaminari."

"Well, I guess you should do the same. We could go to the library after our War Tactics class and fencing training," Lyserg suggested.

"Personally, I don't understand why you have to bring the conflict in your land here in school," Chocolove rested his chin on his palm and peered at Ren. "Just imagine how things would go during the friendship ball if you finally meet the other royals of Kouri and Kasai."

"I'm sure we can manage not to kill each other," the Tao heir said a matter-of-factly.

"That was really friendly of you, Renny. Hey Lyserg, I heard Pirika had an older brother who previously attended here. If he comes to the ball, it would be the right time to ask-"

The green-haired boy shoved a banana into his mouth.

"I suggest you stop saying stupid things, Choco," Lyserg's left eye twitched.

"You're so cruel! This banana isn't peeled yet!" The enraged boy took the fruit out and began eating it.

"What's the big deal with Pirika and her older brother anyway?" Ren raised an eyebrow.

"You're so oblivious, Renny. Don't you know that our Lyserg here is-"

Another banana shot straight into the black boy's mouth.

"Okay, okay. I get it. I'll shut up!" Chocolove took out the new banana and started eating it also.

"Maybe it's a good thing Pirika's brother dropped out of the academy before you came, Ren," Lyserg tried to vanquish the Kaminari prince's curiousity. "Otherwise, it would have been a more awkward situation for you."

"Why did he drop out by the way? He was already gone when I enrolled here," Chocolove wondered out loud.

"Well, we were told by the headmaster that he would just be taking a short vacation. After all, an important friend of his died."

"Whoah! Death in this academy? This topic is getting interesting!" screamed Chocolove. "What's the cause of death? Is he sick?"

"It was a she. We were just informed that she died during the night because of a heart problem but we didn't get to see her because the corpse was already transported to their kingdom. Come to think of it, the academy had only imposed the strict rules after her death. The Kouri prince did not return to school so I'm guessing he was tremendously affected by it. The next school term, Pirika came to the academy."

Prince Ren quietly stood up and gathered his things, "I'm going ahead. I'll meet you later in class."

His two friends watched him leave feeling a bit guilty.

"Maybe we should stop talking about dead girls, Lyserg."

* * *

><p>"Achoo! Achoo!" The King of Kouri wiped his runny nose with a handkerchief. He had been sneezing nonstop ever since they got back from the Kasai royal garden. They were about to leave for their kingdom and the palace people had re-assembled by the entrance door to bid him farewell.<p>

"Are you alright Horo-Horo?" Prince Yoh asked.

"I am. It must have been the flowers. I'm allergic to some of them."

The king took a quick glance at his friend's fiancé who glowered at him. It would take some time before the pink-haired girl would forgive him. He then grinned at Yoh's personal maid among the lined up servants. She also responded in the same infuriated manner as Tamao.

"Actually, I'm referring to your swollen right cheek," the Kasai heir whispered at him.

"This is JUST an allergic reaction, Yoh," he said with a tinge of embarrassment.

On the contrary, it was a nice-to-meet you gift from the blond girl who slapped him hard when he tried to kiss her hand as they were introduced. Perhaps, she was not used to such regal gestures or perhaps she realized that he was hitting on her but did not like him also.

_The cute girls in Kasai are really strong and hot-headed and they only have their eyes on Yoh_. The king of Kouri thought.

"Anyway, I must be going now before the sun sets in," he climbed into the carriage followed by his bodyguard Tona. He then opened the window and peered out from it.

"Thanks for the hospitality King Miki and Queen Keiko!"

The king of Kasai nodded curtly. "You are always welcome in our kingdom."

"Have a safe trip King Horokeu!" the palace personnel bowed down at him.

"Bye people of Kasai!" he made his final salute then off the carriage went.

* * *

><p><em>How convenient<em>. Ren snickered as he took down notes from a dusty volume about the kingdom of Kouri. The school day had ended and they were spending the remaining afternoon in the library researching on their _Society of Royals_ homework.

His two friends notice his glee as he copied information from the book. However, the delight from his face was replaced with bewilderment when a light-blue-haired girl marched towards their place and slammed a book against the wooden table. The Patch librarian rewarded them with a glare from across the room.

"This is unfair! There is nothing of value written in this book," Pirika said in a hushed tone. They were in the repository after all.

Ren took the thin brown volume and skimmed through the pages. He would have laughed out to his heart's content had the librarian not shot them a stern look for the second time. The book only contained short paragraphs about the topics they were suppose to research and majority of the subsections had either the one-liner "Due to the request of the royal family, this information is withheld" or the single word "unknown" printed under them.

"So you need me after all," the Tao monarch smirked at her.

"Argh! Stop being annoying and self-conceited!"

"I'm just telling the truth princess."

"If it's not for this assignment, I would have not talked with you!"

"And you Princess Pirika," the librarian appeared behind her with his arms folded, "should not have talked loudly here. You are banned from the library for a week."

Ren sneered at her.

"What?! But Master Kalim-"

"You may take the prince of Kaminari with you outside. He is also banned from using this place for a week."

The Tao heir's jaws dropped. "She started it!"

Pirika stuck out her tongue at Ren.

"Talk again and your punishment will be extended for another week."

Ren angrily gathered his things. "See you at dinner…" he told his two friends before following the Kouri princess outside.

* * *

><p>"This is all your fault Kaminari prince!" Pirika snarled as they marched upstairs towards their dormitories.<p>

"Mine?! You're the one who rushed to my place and disturbed my peace, Kouri princess" Ren retorted. "If you did not act so difficult this morning then we could have been through with the homework!"

"Hmph! I don't feel like doing this assignment now. I'm going to my room! Let's see tomorrow if I'm in a good mood" the girl stomped away from him.

"You're the only one who's going to fail this subject Princess!" Ren screamed at her.

They separated ways at the top of the stairs which led to the east and west wings of the academy where the male and female dorms were located respectively.

Ren slammed his door shut and laid down on his bed. Lyserg and Chocolove would just knock on his door when it's time for dinner. After all, their rooms were just next to his. Right now, he didn't want to be troubled by anyone. He took out the necklace with the rose pendant from his pant's left pocket and raised it over his face. It swung like a pendulum of a grandfather clock as if telling him that he was running out of time.

"I'm sure you'll scold me for doing this but I'll find you Anna even if I have to befriend the enemy."

* * *

><p>"So how are things going on here?" King Yuan asked his companion from across the table. He was invited over by his ally kingdom's ruler to dine with him that night.<p>

The newly-appointed king of Kouku waved at the servants to leave them as soon as they had settled the food on the table.

"I'm still trying to gain the favor of the people by going around town and overseeing projects to ensure their completion."

"A good move for a new king, I might say but I don't think boasting of your early accomplishments for this kingdom is the real reason you had invited me here."

"You're right," King Ryuuken Tori eyed the Kaminari monarch. "This is about the spy mission I sent to the other side of the land."

King Yuan's eyes gleamed with interest.

"My men had confirmed it. They have been digging new tunnels and receiving crates of weapons from ships disguised as merchant vessels at night. I do think they are preparing for a third war against us."

The Tao king banged his fists on the table. "I knew it! We have to take action NOW. We'll crush them before they can attack us!"

"I'm sure you of all people know what an unplanned and rushed decision could result to, Your Highness."

King Yuan turned grim, "Yes, you're absolutely right but when are you planning to open it?"

"When the right time comes…"

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><p>End of Chapter 22<p> 


	23. Chapter 23: The Blacksmith of Kouku

The Four Kingdoms

By Elle Pellano

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King 

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><p><strong>Chapter XXIII. The Blacksmith of Kouku<strong>

"The palace seems awfully quiet today," observed Anna as she walked down the long hallway with the Kasai prince who was whistling a happy tune. The royal was in high spirits ever since breakfast and his personal maid couldn't pinpoint the reason for his unusual cheeriness much less explain the strange peacefulness of her surroundings.

_I wonder what's up with him?_ She peered at the boy from the corner of her eye. _Did I go easy on him during our tutoring session awhile ago?_ She shook her head. Making the prince stand on the balcony on one foot until he had answered all her questions correctly was not an easy task. He was shaking all over the whole time! _Perhaps he's just too happy because he's momentarily free from the physically taxing training Amidamaru is imposing on him. _The warrior left the palace days ago but Anna swore she wouldn't let the prince enjoy this brief period of relaxation.

"Well, Father left with Tamao early this morning," Yoh grinned at her as if he knew that she was trying to read his mind. He couldn't hide his joy for finally getting some peace.

"Now that explains everything," the blond girl muttered.

"Father told us last night during dinner that he needed to visit a sick friend overseas. Afterwards, he asked Tamao if she would like to see Horo-Horo's younger sister, Pirika at the Royal Patch Academy since it's in the same area," the prince scratched his nose then smiled at her, "They're good friends, you know."

"Oh, that's something new," Anna raised an eyebrow. "I thought your fiancé's clinging on to you like some sort of shadow. She can manage to leave your side after all."

"Erm… That's because Pirika and Tamao haven't seen each other for a long time," explained Yoh.

"So when will they come back?"

"Probably after a week or more…"

"Is that so?"

The blond girl marched ahead of the prince then turned around to face him with glowing eyes. She pointed a finger at his chest and stood menacingly close such that they were just a few inches apart. "This would be the perfect time to escape this place. We can think of a way to slip out of here while the king is gone!"

Yoh gulped. That was a very dangerous suggestion coming from her. "But Anna, he might have asked the royal guards to keep an eye on me. It'll be difficult to move around. We'll be punished if we get caught sneaking out of the palace."

The blond girl glared at him even more, "Isn't being your servant enough punishment for me?" She clenched her fists in front of the frightened prince. "Besides, are you saying you can't help me?"

"No, I didn't mean it like that, Anna," Yoh waved his hands frantically. "It's just that it'll be safer to schedule it during the palace servants' day off. We can blend with the crowd as they leave the palace three weeks from now. Believe me, we would be in bigger trouble if they see us climbing out of the walls in the middle of the night."

"Fine!" the blond girl folded her arms. "So what are you going to do when that day comes?"

"Er…." The prince scratched his head and grinned nervously at her. He hadn't thought of that yet. He was already accustomed to having Anna around that he almost forgot his promise to her.

Anna's eyes blazed with fury while Yoh slowly backed away until he hit a stone wall. The enraged girl was about to strangle him when he spotted a wooden door across them.

"I have a plan!" the prince squeaked.

* * *

><p>Amidamaru knocked three times on the door of a small tattered hut.<p>

Nobody answered. He had been standing there for a few minutes but no one was responding to his calls.

He peered through a hole in the window which was covered with thin wooden planks but he only saw darkness. He scanned the old dilapidated house with his eyes trying to decide if this was really the place that he frequented. The once busy abode of Kouku's blacksmith, Mosuke now stood out like a rejected piece of furniture amidst the grandeur of the kingdom's central town.

"Are you a friend of Mosuke's?" an old man holding a long cane inquired from behind Amidamaru.

"Yes," replied the Kasai warrior. He considered the blacksmith a close acquaintance even though they resided in opposing kingdoms.

He had met the blacksmith once in a drinking pub on the night of his first mission in Kouku. Mosuke was kindly enough to offer his services so he could fix the tip of the Harusame, his sword which had been slightly bent from his rigorous training with the soldiers of Kasai. Since then, Amidamaru would drop by Mosuke's house and had his weapon maintained every time he went on a spy mission in the enemy kingdom. He had never mentioned to the blacksmith where he came from but Amidamaru knew that his friend was able to deduce and perhaps ignore the fact that he was from the other side of the Great Spirit's River.

"Have you not heard of his recent passing?" the old man gave him a curious look.

The Kasai warrior was taken aback. "He's dead? No, I did not know… I was… overseas most of the time." He bowed down his head in grief. "How did he die?"

"He was murdered," the old man said grimly.

"What?! By whom?" Amidamaru was filled with rage.

"Nobody knows… My wife just found him lying in his pool of blood when she came to his house to share cooked food with him. The general who inspected the body said he had been killed with a sword. It's quite ironic for someone who had spent his life forging such weapons."

"Was his killer apprehended?" The white-haired warrior gripped the handle of his sword in anger.

"Unfortunately, he left no trace of his identity. Mosuke's murder remains to be one of the two unsolved cases of our kingdom. Surely you have heard of the royal family's massacre?"

"Yes…"

"It's quite a coincidence that both unfortunate events seemed to have happened on the same night. Mosuke's death was overshadowed by the massacre of our beloved monarchs so only us, his neighbors were able to grieve for him."

"Wait, you mean to say that-"

"Four people were murdered that fateful night - our beloved king, queen and princess, and the lowly blacksmith named Mosuke."

* * *

><p>Anna brushed the dust off an old chair before sitting on it. They were in a small repository with shelves as old as the volumes they contained. Her companion had spread a large scroll which looked like some sort of a layout map of the palace grounds on the table in front of her. The prince was quietly examining it.<p>

"Where are we, Yoh?" inquired the blond girl. It was slightly cold inside the room.

"We're at the old Kasai library. We keep ancient books here that nobody likes to read anymore."

Anna rested her chin on her hand, "So what's your plan?"

"Er… Like I told you earlier, three weeks from now most palace maids will take a one day off. Only the head palace servant and those who don't want to leave the premises will be left behind."

"The two royal guards stationed here," the prince pointed at the palace main gate, "…I'm sure you can still remember them as we have met them before, are much stricter on the people who enter than the people who exit the palace vicinity. Their assumption is that anyone who leaves this place poses no threat since he had been given the permission to enter."

"Okay, so we are going to blend with the crowd so that the gate keepers won't notice us. What will we do after we leave?" His personal maid was getting impatient.

"Erm… We'll hitch a ride from the Central town to Chikyuu then we have to go on foot until we reach the forest and the Great Spirit's River."

"That's it?" Anna shot up from her seat and slammed her hands on the old map. "How very creative!"

"I'm sorry…" the prince lowered his head. "I couldn't think of a faster if not a better way to get you back to your kingdom… "

The blonde girl sighed. Maybe she was expecting too much from such a laidback royal. "The palace people will eventually find out that you have left if you'll be gone for some time. You'll be in big trouble as soon as you come back, Yoh. Just help me get a ride towards the border then I can manage on my own."

The Kasai heir shook his head, "No, I won't do that Anna. A promise is a promise. I'll accompany you throughout your journey home."

"Oh really? Maybe you're just finding a good excuse to escape from these prison walls."

Prince Yoh turned around to hide his flushed cheeks, "Or maybe I just want to make the most of the remaining time we have before we say goodbye to each other…"

The blond girl fell silent.

"You'll become the queen of Kouku upon returning home… and as for me, I'll be the king of Kasai someday…"

Anna let out a slight smile, "so you finally realize that you want to lead this kingdom after all…"

"Once I'm king I'll work hard to free the four kingdoms from the strict rules of the treaty so that we can truly live in peace and harmony even if it would take ages or even if I'll die trying."

His personal maid nodded approvingly. Old queen Kino would be glad to hear that her grandson had finally accepted his responsibility to the throne. She might not approve of his plan to open lines of communication with the enemy kingdoms though.

"Can you promise me one thing, Princess Anna?" Yoh grinned at her goofily.

"It depends on whether you are asking for too much."

"If I fail on this one and we couldn't see each other anymore, promise me you won't forget about me…"

"You won't fail, Yoh," the girl told him sternly, "and if we can't meet each other in one another's palaces, then maybe we can see each other by the Great Spirit's River. You'll be on Kasai's side and I'll be on Kouku's side. Nobody can accuse us of trespassing."

"That's a good idea, Anna. I'll be watching you from the other side when you get married to Prince Ren, when you play with your children, when you tell stories to them about your adventures in Kasai, when you stroll down the riverbank when you're already old..."

The blond girl sank back to her seat and felt a slight pang in her chest. _Why is it suddenly painful to leave him behind?_

"Don't mind me, okay? I'll just be hiding behind the trees when your husband or your soldiers are there. Anna… Are you crying?" The prince thought he heard a stifled sob.

"No, no, I'm not. Something's just in my eye, stupid."

* * *

><p>End of Chapter 23<p> 


	24. Chapter 24:The Dukedom of Mont St Michel

The Four Kingdoms

By Elle Pellano

A/N: I'm reposting this chapter since I had rushed uploading this yesterday.

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

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><p><strong>Chapter XXIV. The Dukedom of Mont St. Michel<strong>

Prince Ren entered the dining hall with a sigh. It had been a long unfruitful day trying to convince the stubborn princess of Kouri to set aside time to discuss with him their Society of Royals homework. All the rest of the class had started gathering information from their partners except probably for them and for Lyserg and Jeanne. The latter had rushed home by the request of her ailing father three days ago but her green-haired cousin surely could finish the report even without her help. After all, their dukedoms share the same history.

When he finally reached their favorite dining table, he found Chocolove all by himself.

"So Lyserg has finally given up as your friend," he addressed the solitary young man with a smirk on his face. He pulled out a chair and sat across him. He instantly grabbed his fork and knife after hearing his stomach growling for food. Screaming and chasing after the stubborn Kouri princess had made him famished.

The heir to the dukedom of Comedia forcefully shook his head in response to Prince Ren's comment but continued to raid his dinner platter noisily. He had a few drips of red wine on his white school uniform and streaks of gravy all over his thick lips. His carefree way of dining earned him disapproving stares from the rest of the royal bloods.

Prince Ren grew red in embarrassment. "Would you care to show some table manners?" The Kaminari royalty snapped at Chocolove when he tried to speak with his mouth full. "No wonder Lyserg left you alone here."

The prince scanned the dining hall with his eyes for his missing friend. "Where did he go anyway?"

Chocolove swallowed down a big chunk of roasted turkey then answered his friend in an oratorical tone, "Your Highness, while you are busy imploring the elusive Princess of Kouri… Marco came by to fetch our dear friend. It appears that the Duke of Mont St. Michel is dying and is requesting to have a final glimpse of his family and close relatives. This means that for the next three to five days, it's just the two of us."

Prince Ren's face turned sour. He didn't like the sound of that.

"We can make up for the lost time that you were away in Kaminari." Chocolove's eyes sparkled in excitement.

"Go bother someone else!"

"But I've already prepared our 'best-of-friends' list of activities…" his friend pouted.

"I don't have time for your nonsense, you moron!"

"I am always sensible Renny. I just don't look like it."

The prince wanted to tear his hair in frustration, "Why are you so difficult?"

He was about to make Chocolove swallow a whole plate to shut him up when someone cleared her throat from behind. He turned around only to find the princess of Kouri with an eyebrow raised.

"I'd like to speak to the prince of Kaminari - alone."

The Tao heir folded his arms across his chest and responded without looking at her, "If the princess of Kouri wishes to speak to me, she should sit down first and wait for me to finish eating."

"My time is more precious than the Prince of Kaminari's dinner. If he doesn't want to converse in 10 seconds, I will retire to my room," Princess Pirika started her count down.

Ren breathed slowly trying to control his anger and frustration. "Chocolove, I see you're finish dining here. Why don't you go and rest already?"

"But Renny I'm not done with this apple yet."

The prince shot him a murderous look.

"Alright, alright. I'll eat this in my room," Chocolove stood up and left the table immediately. Princess Pirika sat on the chair that he left vacant.

"So what had finally made the princess of Kouri talk to me?" Ren sipped from his goblet of red wine.

"Look, all I want is for the homework to be done already that's why I have come to make an arrangement with you. Since we can't stand each other's presence -"

"Oh, I think you're referring to your predicament only. I am very much fine with you around not that your presence matters to me."

"Do you want this done or what?" Pirika gritted her teeth. She was becoming red with fury.

Ren closed his eyes and swallowed his pride. He didn't want to waste this opportunity anymore. "Sorry, go on."

"We can meet every day until the end of the week for about 30 minutes at most to discuss the homework."

"Where and what time?"

"At the balcony near the girls' dormitory. 5PM sharp. Don't be late. I won't be wasting my time waiting for you." Pirika stood up and marched away from the table.

"Oh you don't really need to waste your time on me. I have a fiancé you know."

The princess rolled her eyes. "Don't be obnoxious. It's not that I like you."

* * *

><p>King Mikihisa immediately alighted from the carriage as soon as the vehicle had come to a full stop. Tamao, his niece, scurried after him trying hard not to trip on her dress. They took the fastest ship from Kasai to Mont St. Michel in order to reach the dying duke before he breathed his last.<p>

Marco, the butler and the duke's right hand man welcomed him by the door, "Your highness, we're sorry if we cannot greet you with pleasantries today. The duke is seriously ill."

"It's fine. I know the situation well enough. I'll go and see Francois."

"Right this way sire. He is waiting inside."

The butler led the guests to the duke's chamber. There were two maids in waiting who each wore a worried expression. An elderly physician was examining the duke but the look on his face told them there was no hope left. Life was draining from him. The duke's only daughter was sitting on a stool by his side holding his cold hand. She was trying to control her tears from falling. Behind her stood Duke Liam Diethel of Morphia and his son - a young man of the same age as the king of Kasai's children. He had placed his hand on his cousin's shoulder as a way to comfort her.

"My friend Mikihisa…" the dying duke beckoned for his royal visitor to come forward the moment he spotted him by the door.

King Mikihisa knelt down by the bedside. "It's been a long time Francois."

"I'm glad to see you before I go…" the duke said weakly.

"There's so many things that I'd like to thank you for. I'm sorry I didn't get to say this when you're still well but thank you for taking care of my son."

"It is my pleasure to come to the aid of a needy friend…"

The duke's daughter let go of her father's hand so that the king can hold it, "I promise you that your only child will be in good hands. You need not worry. We will take care of her."

The dying patient smiled then reached out to touch his daughter's tear-stained cheeks. "Your mother and I will always be watching you. Be a good girl, Jeanne…"

And those were the duke's last words.

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><p>Prince Ren cursed under his breath. It was 20 minutes passed their agreed meeting time but the princess of Kouri still hadn't shown up. Now they only had a few minutes left to do their homework. He was about to stand up from his seat when he heard hurried footsteps rushing towards the balcony where he was staying.<p>

"I'm really sorry. My father came to the academy so I had to meet him," the princess bowed down apologetically.

"Still being regularly visited by your father? When would you learn to grow up?" Ren snorted.

Pirika clenched her fists but kept them by her side. She was at fault this time so she had no right to be angry. "Well, he had some business near the academy that's why he's a regular visitor. Besides, a close friend is currently in Mont St. Michel and may drop by the academy to see me." _Why am I explaining myself to him? _Pirika settled herself on the empty seat across the prince.

_Mont St. Michel? That's where Jeanne lives. They're friends with this kind of people? How come she didn't tell me? _Ren wondered to himself.

"Let's get started shall we?" the princess of Kouri took out a notebook and a fountain pen. "We only have 10 minutes left…"

Prince Ren folded his arms, "I don't feel like doing homework anymore."

"What?! I ran all the way from the receiving area for nothing?"

"Now whose fault was it that half of our allotted time was wasted?"

"Argh, you are hopeless!" Pirika stood up and gathered her things.

"Wait," Ren grabbed her hand before she could go. "I didn't say I didn't want to talk with you."

The princess slightly blushed.

"Okay, but please let go of my hand."

"Oh, right."

The princess slowly sat down, "So what do you want to talk about?" Her heart was thumping faster.

"Some random things…" the Kaminari heir seemed bored. "For each question I ask, you can ask me one in return. We can take turns. Fair enough?"

Pirika nodded. "Throw me one now."

"Is your close friend from Mont St. Michel?"

"No"

"So where is he from?"

"She's from Kasai."

The prince gave a startled look.

"Why would she be in Mont St. Michel?"

"She just accompanied her uncle, the king of Kasai there."

This time the prince's furrowed his forehead.

"Why would the king of Kasai be in Mont St. Michel?"

"Well the duke is dying. They came to see him before he passes away."

_I know that already. _ Prince Ren was exasperated._ But why does the king of Kasai have to be there? unless_…"I presumed they are friends?" he tried to confirm with his companion.

"Yes, very good friends. They even arranged their children's marriages."

"What?!"

"Didn't you know? Didn't your friends tell you?"

"I wouldn't be asking if they did," Ren seemed annoyed. _What's the point of hiding it to me?_

"Jeanne is engaged to one of Kasai's twin princes."

"They didn't tell me anything about it especially Jeanne. Wait a minute, Kasai has twin princes?"

"Yes, it's not so unusual you know."

Ren slapped his forehead, "And I told Anna that the Kasai heir is a two-headed monster."

Pirika laughed. "Well Yoh is nice but the other one… maybe he ought to be called a monster since he's really mean. By the way, who is Anna?"

"She's my fiancé."

"Oh, is she in Kaminari or in Kouku?"

Ren stared at the setting sun, "I don't even know…"

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><p>Except for the maids and the physician, all the persons who stood by the duke's deathbed earlier had gathered inside the mansion's library. Duke Liam, the brother-in-law of the deceased nobleman, presided over the solemn meeting. He held in his hands the last will and testament of the Duke of Mont St. Michel.<p>

Duke Liam cleared his throat and started reading slowly, "I, Francois St. Michel give the entire land of Mont St. Michel to my only daughter, Jeanne St. Michel. Her leadership of the dukedom will take effect on her wedding day. Until that time, my faithful butler, Marco Lasso will take care of all matters concerning the governance of Mont St. Michel and will serve as my only child's legal guardian."

"What do you say, Marco?" King Mikihisa asked.

"I am more than willing to accept the responsibility of taking care of Lady Jeanne," the serious butler fixed his glasses. However, I don't think I could manage the dukedom at the same time."

"Hmm… If that's the case, perhaps Lady Jeanne should marry immediately so that she can attend to the affairs of her land?" Duke Liam suggested.

The girl whose eyes were swollen from crying gasped and turned to her cousin for support.

"Father! You don't have the right to decide for Jeanne without her consent," Lyserg shot his old man a stern look.

"I was kidding around, my son. You don't need to be uptight about it," the duke scratched his head.

"I agree with the girly looking lad," a voice said from the back of the room. "You do NOT have any right to decide on our future."

_Who is he calling girly? _Lyserg stared menacingly at the long-haired young man who appeared from nowhere. He was casually leaning on the bookshelf with a sneer on his face.

"You! How come you weren't in the chamber earlier? The duke has been asking for you since morning." Marco lost his usual cool demeanor and spat furiously at the unwanted guest.

"I fell asleep on the roof. I just overheard you talking about the duke's last will and testament from up there. You shouldn't leave windows open when you're discussing such significant matters."

"If you do not have anything important to say, just leave this room NOW!" the butler pointed towards the door. His blood always boiled at the mere sight of the young man's face ever since he came to Mont St. Michel.

"I don't think it's appropriate to act like that Marco especially when King Mikihisa is around," Duke Liam said nervously. The king of Kasai didn't budge in his seat. Despite his bird mask, everybody in the room knew that he was intently watching the young man before him.

The butler bowed down apologetically before the king, "Pardon me Your Majesty. I got carried away. He has not yet learned how to respect other people. I had failed in this task."

"That's the very reason why you can't handle Mont St. Michel. You are not competent enough," the young man smirked at him.

The butler restrained himself from attacking the arrogant bastard. "So are you saying that you are more capable of governing over Mont St. Michel? Don't be so high and mighty. You have not wedded Lady Jeanne yet."

"On the contrary, I am breaking the engagement with Jeanne," announced the young man to the surprise of all the occupants of the room.

This time it was Lyserg who reacted vehemently, "What an insensitive person you are! Do not leave Jeanne when she's at her worse. Her father just died!"

"Why? I am sure she's far better with this. Did you ask her first how she feels about the whole arranged marriage?"

Jeanne lowered her head. He was right. She didn't like it since the day it was decreed.

"This is not about you, Jeanne," the young man addressed his ex-fiance a-matter-of-factly. I just don't think this would work out. I know we both share the same sentiments."

He then turned towards the king of Kasai who was quietly observing from his seat, "Well hello King Miki. It's been 7 years already. Has the scar healed well? I hope you still remember the son you've thrown away."

"Hao…"

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><p>End of Chapter 24<p> 


	25. Chapter 25: The Gift of Friendship

The Four Kingdoms

By Elle Pellano

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

A/N: Sorry for the very late update. I've been busy with a things going on with my life. Anyway, thank you for those wonderful comments you guys had posted.

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><p><strong><span>Chapter XXV. The Gift of Friendship<span>**

Princess Pirika folded her arms and stared at the Kaminari prince in disbelief. "What do you mean you don't even know? She's your fiancé after all."

"Can we talk about other things instead of my personal life?" Prince Ren furrowed his eyebrows. He wanted to slap himself for uttering such words. It was not his intention to let an enemy find out their current situation. His father had always told him to never let his guard down. Kasai and Kouri might devise a plan to attack Kouku while the heiress to the throne, his soon-to-be-wife is missing.

The girl from the other side of the table peered at him curiously. Somehow she could tell that he was keeping something from her. "I bet she ran away because she didn't want to marry you," she teased.

"Even if she did, it's none of your business. Why are you so interested anyway?" It was the prince's turn to do the teasing. His attempt to stop her further inquisition was successful for the princess had shut her mouth and suddenly turned bright red.

Prince Ren rested his chin on the palm of his hand and gazed at her with an amused look which made the princess blushed even more. She became speechless for a few minutes trying to think of a better retort. The prince tapped his fingers on the table, waiting for his companion to snap back at him.

"I am just curious as to what kind of woman would actually agree to marry such a brute like you," the blue-haired princess stuck out her tongue. The young man only saw this as an attempt to mask her embarrassment.

"She's a fine woman unlike some OTHER girl I know," the Tao heir sneered at her. "You should go to OUR wedding day if you are so interested to see her."

"Are you out of your mind? I'd lose my head if I were to attend your wedding. In fact," the princess let out a sigh, "I would lose my head just talking with you."

"Oh, right…" Prince Ren nearly forgot that their kingdoms were enemies back home. "If you're bothered by this, the four kingdoms' treaty does not apply overseas especially in the Royal Patch Academy so it's safe for us to converse here. You don't need to worry at all."

"Hmph, I hate that age-old treaty. It just made matters worse. Don't you think so?"

The Tao heir nodded. For once, the two of them had agreed on something.

"You know what? Ever since I was a child, I often wondered what Kouku and Kaminari look like," the princess gazed at the darkening horizon. "Have you ever wished to see Kasai and Kouri with your own eyes?"

The prince remembered his fiancé also asking him the same question. "Of course, I have. I was just as curious as you."

"How I longed for the time that we can roam around each other's kingdoms and see all the good and bad side of it."

Prince Ren smiled, "Perhaps I can tickle your imagination. I can tell you stories about Kouku and Kaminari if you wanted me to."

"Really? Would it be okay for you to convey information to an enemy?"

"I'm not giving you information, Princess. I am just sharing my experiences. But there is one condition though…."

"What is it this time?" the Kouri royalty looked at him with suspicion.

"I'll talk only if you would tell me about Kasai and Kouri, too."

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><p>Amidamaru gazed at the deserted hut which had once been the center of metal craftsmanship in Kouku's central town. He had visited this place every time he was sent on a spy mission and he had been dropping by even if the master of the house would no longer come out to greet him. The Kasai warrior felt a pang in his heart as his friend's death sunk into him little by little. <em>I will avenge your death, Mosuke.<em> He swore by his sword.

"You are here again young man," greeted the dead blacksmith's old neighbor.

"Yes, I was just reminiscing those days when Mosuke's still alive."

"You must have been a really good friend of Mosuke's," the old man smiled.

"Are they going to tear down this place?"

"Yes, it is considered unlucky to leave the house of the murdered man standing."

"His precious work place would be turned into rubble. Why are traditions like that?" the Kasai warrior groaned.

"In order for us to move forward, we must let go of everything that's making us live in the past. Would you rather keep this as a reminder of his ill-fate?"

Amidamaru grew silent.

"Well, if you really want something to remind you of your friend, you can take those," The old man pointed at the pair of rusty crossed daggers hanging by the wooden front door. "They look ancient but they are very important artifacts. Mosuke's family belongs to a clan of skillful blacksmiths. Did you know that those daggers had been a gift to Mosuke's ancestor by the king of Kasai during early times?"

"Oh," the Kasai warrior looked startled. Only the descendants of people who had been serving the Kasai royal family for generations knew about this household secret. This story was part of Kasai's history way back to the rule of the ancestors of the Douji and Asakura clans. He had been telling this tale to the prince ever since he was young.

"Perhaps that was during those peaceful times when the four kingdoms were not at war with each other. Did Mosuke tell you about it?" he asked.

The old man shook his head. "A young man told me. Come to think of it, he was Mosuke's last customer before he died."

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><p>Anna enjoyed the warm sunlight kissing her skin. Lying down on the green carpet of grass surely felt good. Who would have thought that doing nothing and marveling at the clear blue sky above her would be so reinvigorating? She looked at the Kasai prince who was lying down on the grass beside her from the corner of her eye. He was repeatedly throwing the Asakura family's heirloom carelessly and catching it in one hand.<p>

"Stop throwing it up into the air, Yoh! If you lose that don't expect me to help you find it," the blond girl scolded him.

"Oh, sorry Anna…" Yoh sat up to put it on the pocket of his trousers.

His personal maid instantly grabbed the brooch from him and pin it on his dress shirt. "You should always wear this, Your Highness. Didn't Amidamaru tell you that this little piece of metal here is the symbol of Kasai's next heir? Wear it proud."

"I'm sorry… I won't play with it anymore…" the prince plunged himself into the soft grass once again.

"Oh stop saying sorry most of the time, Yoh," the blond girl followed suit. "Anyway, is it really alright to just lie down here and do nothing?" Anna turned to her side to face the prince. She felt a tinge of guilt for neglecting her duties as palace maid. "Your father would surely fire me if he finds out I've been joining his lazy son in his unproductive activities."

"We're not idling around, Anna. We are just relaxing for a bit," the prince grinned at her. He noticed the silver chain hanging around the girl's neck. He pulled it out so he could see the three-rose pendant he gave her. "I'm glad you are wearing this."

The blond girl felt her cheeks heat up. She just realized how close she was to the prince. She pulled the necklace from his loose grip and hid the pendant under her blouse. "Well, it was of cheap material anyway. The other palace maids wouldn't possibly think that I've stolen this from the treasure room so it's alright to wear it."

"Now I'm a bit ashamed. If this was ever written down in history then the very first gift given by the king of Kasai to the queen of Kouku as a token of their friendship is a cheap pendant. Maybe I should ask Mosuke to forge you a silver necklace…."

"Who is Mosuke?" Anna raised an eyebrow.

"You don't know him? I thought he was famous in Kouku?"

"You are speaking to a princess who was never let out of the palace grounds," the blond girl said a-matter-of-factly.

"He is no other less than the most skillful blacksmith in your kingdom."

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><p><em>Flashback…<em>

_Yoh stood awed in front of a hut where clanking and pounding of metal could be heard inside. This could be the place that his white-haired friend was talking about._

_"You sure are an early customer of Mosuke's," an old man in a cane approached him slowly._

_"Good morning Grandpa! Mosuke is an early worker, too."_

_"Why don't you see him then? I believe you have been standing there for a few minutes already."_

_"Er… I'm just marveling about those artifacts," Yoh pointed at the crossed daggers hanging from the door. "Did you know that those had been a gift to Mosuke's ancestors by the king of Kasai during early times?"_

_"Oh? I did not know that," the old man scratched his chin slowly._

_"They say that when the four kingdoms were still in good terms, the king of Kasai requested Mosuke's ancestor to forge him a piece of jewelry which he will pass down to his next heir. The blacksmith worked so hard to produce the king's request. The Kasai monarch was delighted to receive such perfect piece of jewelry so he rewarded the blacksmith generously and had given him two daggers as a gift. Mosuke's ancestor forged the two daggers in such a way that they would cross each other as a symbol of the two kingdoms' unity."_

_"Such a beautiful story... But alas, the friendship of the kingdoms was not as strong as the crossed daggers."_

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><p>"So have you met him during one of your missions?" the blond girl asked.<p>

The prince scratched his head as if he had remembered a humiliating incident, "Well, yes. He was a bit unfriendly and too serious about his work. He did not talk so much. But I told him that I know Amidamaru and he lightened up a bit."

"Mosuke is Amidamaru's friend? Isn't being friends with a citizen of Kouku or Kaminari a form of treason in your kingdom?"

"Yes but Amidamaru is a royal spy. He can always reason out that he's just gaining the trust and confidence of a Kouku citizen for mission purposes."

"How very convenient," Anna said sarcastically. "Sometimes I envy spies. They go to different places even dangerous ones and meet new acquaintances and perhaps enemies. I'm always stuck in the palace so I have only few friends - my nanny who is already dead and Ren."

"I have friends but I don't see them often." The prince began to enumerate, "There's Horo-Horo, Faust, Amidamaru, Manta, Ryuu, and… Anna. We are friends right?" The prince suddenly inquired out-of-the-blue.

"Well, you could say that. What will be your alibi if you get caught being friends with an enemy?"

"Hmmm.. I've never thought about it," Prince Yoh scratched his cheek.

"It is so just you, Yoh," Anna rolled her eyes. "You should just deny it and tell everyone you don't know me. That would make things simpler AND you won't get hanged because of me."

"But that would also be a form of betrayal to you. I promise, Anna, no matter what happens I'll never stop being friends with you," the prince assured her, "…even if we are rivers apart, even if I die trying to fulfill my promise."

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><p>End of Chapter 25<p> 


	26. Chapter 26: The Other Kasai Prince

The Four Kingdoms

By Elle Pellano

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

A/N: I'm finally back! I'm sorry for the very delayed update. I just had several things going on in my life but rest assured I have no intention of discontinuing this story. I'll try to post a chapter every week if possible.

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><p><strong>Chapter XXVI. The Other Kasai Prince<strong>

Kanna irritably threw the old scrub she was using to clean the dirty kitchen floor into the pail of murky water. The impact had caused several drops of cold water to splatter on her face but not even those could cool her temper. She had so many chores to do that morning but she had to stop for a moment because the head palace maid had called out an assembly by the front doors. Apparently the king had returned from his short trip and they had to welcome him back with warm greetings.

She was sick of it all. She hated this monotonous impoverished life. It had not always been this way. She was born into an affluent family of traders in the kingdom of Kouri and had enjoyed a privileged childhood. However, her whole world was shattered when her parents died of an accident at sea and left their business bankrupt with her. She had to sell their mansion, their family's only remaining asset to pay off the loans to her relatives. They refused to assist her financially or even take her in. She was abandoned and was totally on her own. She lost everything at the age of 18.

To save face, she immediately left the kingdom of Kouri. She wanted to be far away from all the hurt and humiliation. She wanted a new life in Kasai but it was not easy to start one. She waited tables in rowdy pubs and cleaned smelly animal barns in exchange for free lodging and meals. She would cry every night out of pity for herself. She was not used to this kind of life. She was never brought up to be someone else's servant. She had never touched a scrub, a rug or a feather duster not even out of curiosity before.

Her depression got the better of her so one morning she went to a cliff. She was pondering on whether to jump or not when a young boy of about ten years emerged from the bushes on a white horse.

_Flashback_

"_Are you trying to attempt suicide or just marveling at the deep ravine below?" The long-haired boy who sat with an air of authority looked down at her with a smirk painted on his face._

"_GO away! Little kids should leave adults on their own." Tears started rolling down her cheeks._

"_What's taking you so long then? If you wished to end your pathetic life, do not hesitate on jumping," the boy raised an eyebrow. "That's a very painful way to die though. By the time we find your body, you will be nothing but a lump of bloody mess. Too bad your pretty face will become too unrecognizable for people to give you the credit you deserve during your funeral."_

"_People treat me as trash. No one would attend my funeral anyway." She moved a step closer to the edge of the cliff._

"_You're such a wreck. Do what you want. I'm going now." the young boy motioned his horse to turn around. "But before I go, I'm giving you another option. You can choose to jump and die miserable or you can choose to live and follow me. I can make people who have hurt you miserable."_

"_Huh! What can such a young boy like you do?"_

"_In case you don't know me, I am the heir to the Kasai throne. You can postpone your death and meet me on this very spot next week. If you're not convinced with what I can do, you can jump off the cliff. I'll even push you to your death if you ask me to. But first, I believe we have not been introduced?"_

"_I am Kanna… Kanna Bismarch."_

"_One of the Bismarchs of Kouri kingdom? How interesting. See you after a week then, Kanna."_

Kanna walked away from the cliff feeling stupid after the boy left. She couldn't believe why she had listened to a ten-year old. Perhaps she didn't have the courage to take her own life after all. Perhaps the arrogant boy who claimed to be the heir of Kasai gave her a renewed spirit. He reminded her so much of herself when she was a child. She was really a strong woman and her family's tragedy should not make her drop down to her knees in despair.

Six days after the meeting, news of a fire that had ravaged the Bismarch mansion spread across the kingdom. The whole structure and all its new occupants were burned down to ashes. The cause of the fire was unknown but two explosions were said to be heard from each wing of the mansion. The following day Kanna hurried to the cliff and found the boy waiting for her there with his horse.

The next thing she knew she had become the personal maid to the future king of Kasai but her happiness only lasted for a while. The prince had been sent away by his father and the right to the throne was granted to his weakling twin. It's been seven years since he was gone and she missed him so badly. She was miserable again but she would opt to feel miserable inside the palace while she waited for the return of her prince.

Kanna took her usual position between her friends, Marion and Matilda among the palace servants. She noticed the gap in the front row and her blood boiled with jealousy. The blond girl called Anna was missing from the line-up again. It was one of the privileges of being a personal maid to the new heir of Kasai. Her duty was to always accompany the prince so she was not prompted to leave him for other tasks. Besides the King of Kasai was always engaged in numerous journeys that he no longer required the presence of his family to welcome him back as he returned to the palace.

* * *

><p><em>I wonder where everybody is… <em>Anna went down to the usually busy kitchen to bring the breakfast tray she used to feed the prince only to find the place deserted. The soap on the dishes had already dried, the potatoes and carrots for today's lunch soup were half-peeled, and a bucket of dirty water was left lying on the floor. If the head palace maid could see the place now, someone would surely get some severe spanking and scolding. The blond girl decided to leave the premises immediately before the head servant arrives and blame her for the chaos in the kitchen.

As she was climbing up the stairs, she remembered that the king was to arrive that morning from his trip abroad. This could be the main reason why she did not see a single servant around the palace. That would also mean Prince's Yoh's lovestruck fiancé, Tamao would be back to spy on them as if she was stealing her future husband-to-be from her. Anna decided that she had better get the lazy Yoh off the bed in time for the arrival of his father and fiancé.

* * *

><p>The palace servants bowed down as soon as King Mikihisa entered the grand wooden doors followed by his exhausted pink-haired niece. Tamao brightened up upon seeing her fiancé slowly approaching the group but her smile quickly faded when she spotted his blond personal maid promenading behind him. To the very observant eyes, it was more like Prince Yoh reluctantly walking to join the welcoming crowd while Anna pushed him to go faster.<p>

"Welcome back father," Yoh gave out a timid smile.

"Oof!" The prince tried to untangle himself from the pink-haired girl's tight embrace. "Hello Tamao…"

"I missed you Yoh! I hope you didn't do anything to make me feel bad while I was away," Tamao shot an irritated look at the blond girl. She finally let go of her grip on Yoh when she spotted the queen and the former rulers of Kasai drawing near.

"Welcome home Darling," Queen Keiko sashayed towards her husband to give him a warm kiss on the lips.

"It's good to see my family complete again," King Mikihisa seemed elated. He did not expect that he would be greeted by the whole Asakura family upon his return. After all, he was just away for a couple of days. He needed some form of positive energy especially after coming back from an emotionally draining activity such as a funeral. "It will be more complete once I show you who returned to the kingdom with me."

As if on cue, the carriage doors flew open and a smirking young man of seventeen years alighted from the vehicle. He had a pompous air about him and his long hair swayed with the breeze. Kanna couldn't hide her delight. Her prince had finally returned.

* * *

><p>Chocolove rested his chin on his hand and ate his evening meal with a bored expression. His best buddy Ren was ignoring him the whole time and was busy chatting with his new found friend, the princess of Kouri. They became really close because of their <em>Society of Royals<em> homework to the point that Prince Ren had invited Princess Pirika to their favorite dining table. It seemed that they had shared enough stories to write into several pages of essay already.

Chocolove sighed. He couldn't wait for his other best friend Lyserg to come to school again. At least somebody would talk to him even if the conversation would turn out to be an entire derision of his comic personality (or oddity according to Ren). He can't wait for Lyserg's cousin, Jeanne to appear by the table again. Her seat was currently taken by the bubbly princess of Kouri. If Jeanne were there, he would have some inspiration not to mention a very good view as he gobbled up his dessert of chocolate truffles. Chocolove thought it's really unfair that Ren always gets the attention of good-looking girls in the academy. On the other hand, maybe it was better that way knowing how the Kaminari prince had recently lost the love of his life.

It was good for Ren to make friends with Pirika but what Chocolove couldn't fathom was how easily the two forgot about the brewing hatred between their kingdoms. The Tao heir, in particular, would consistently voice out his deep suspicions for the two kingdoms on the other side of the Great Spirit's river. Apparently, it would only take a few days for Ren to leave his speculations in the past and make friends with the enemy.

_How very ironic if Ren would fall for the talkative Pirika_. Chocolove taught. But that would complicate matters because of Lyserg's feelings for the girl which Ren didn't know about. And then there were Jeanne's feelings for Ren, too although she won't admit it to her cousin or to him. Chocolove grabbed his hair in frustration. He was starting to feel the pressure building inside of him. He must quickly find a girl of his own so he won't get stuck in the middle trying to fix whatever relationship would become broken from all this nonsense.

"Acting funny again Chocolove? What's wrong with you?" A familiar voice asked from behind him.

"This is nothing Lyserg... I'm just eating too much chocolate truffles, they are hurting my head." After pausing for a minute and realizing who he was talking to, Chocolove shot up from his seat with glee. "Lyserg! Jeanne! I'm so happy to see you both! Renny is being a meanie!"

The pair sitting across him also stood up to greet the two.

"My deep condolences Jeanne…" Ren took the girl's hand and squeezed it hard.

"I heard from Lyserg about your loss, too. I'm sorry about what happened to your fiancé," Jeanne responded with a pat on the Kaminari prince's shoulder.

"Condolence Jeanne…" Pirika lowered her eyes. That was the first time she had talked to the elegant Duchess of St. Michel.

After giving Ren a confused look, Lyserg greeted the Kouri princess with a friendly smile. _It's good to see you, Pirika._ It was what he wanted to say but "Pirika… you're here.." were the words that came out of his mouth. Lyserg wanted to slap his face.

"Oh.. I'm just discussing homework with Ren. I'm sorry for intruding your place… Maybe I should go now…" Pirika took her books from the chair beside her.

_No, don't go. It's okay for you to stay here_. But Lyserg only let out an inaudible whisper.

"Thanks for the stories Ren. Maybe we could continue tomorrow?" The princess of Kouri smiled at him.

"Sure, I'll see you after classes, same time, same place," Prince Ren waved at her.

"Why are you giving me that suspicious look Lyserg?" the Kaminari prince asked his friend as soon as Pirika left the dining hall.

"Nothing. It seemed a lot of things transpired in here while we were away. Would you care to orient us?"

"Amm… do you want some chocolate truffles?" Chocolove shoved the plate in between the two. _This is going to be difficult_.

* * *

><p>"Hao, my son!" Queen Keiko wept as she embraced her other child whom she had not seen for seven years. The young man stood still and did not return her embrace. The queen lovingly touched her son's face. "You look so much like -"<p>

"Yes, I know. I looked like my brother but I'm smarter and a hundred of times more good-looking."

Anna rolled her eyes. She had never known anyone as conceited as the other Kasai prince. He was ten times more arrogant than Ren. Besides the length of the hair, Hao and Yoh were physically identical yet their personalities were totally on the opposite sides of the coin.

"Prince Hao will not be going back to the Dukedom of St. Michel. He's staying here with us for good," King Mikihisa announced to the crowd.

"Welcome home brother!" Yoh grinned at him but his twin gave him no response. Hao's gaze was apparently fixed on the blond girl dressed in a palace servant's uniform behind him.

"And who might you be?" the other Kasai prince approached her with keen interest.

"She is Anna," Yoh introduced his personal maid. "She is -"

"…not from here," Hao eyed her from top to bottom.

"Er…" his twin brother began to panic but the quick-thinking Anna responded well, "Yes, I'm new here my dear prince. I'm one of those people you haven't seen before you left as a child. I would perfectly understand if you won't consider me as someone who belongs here."

"Of course, of course. I'm sorry for being rude. Shall we introduce ourselves? What's your name?"

"Anna."

"And your last name?"

"I have… no last name. Everybody just calls me Anna."

"Brother, Anna is Amidamaru's distant relative. Amidamaru doesn't have a last name, too. I think it's part of their family tradition not to use last names," Yoh laughed nervously.

"You know Yoh, I did not expect you to make a statement that makes any sense but that last one did. Anyway, hello Anna, I am Hao Asakura." The long-haired Asakura twin offered his hand.

Anna reluctantly shook it but Hao did not let go of it at once so she had to forcefully pull it from his grip.

"For a palace maid Anna, you got soft hands."

"She was never really a servant before," Prince Yoh came to her defense. "Her former job was that of a governess. She is tutoring me right now about what I need to know about our kingdom."

"Oh.." his long-haired twin's lips spread out into a smile. "Maybe you could also teach me. I have been away for seven years I don't know anything about Kasai."

_Liar!_ Anna fumed with rage. She's beginning to hate Yoh's brother even more.

"What do you say King Miki?" Hao addressed his father casually.

"I think that's a good idea," the king of Kasai scratched his chin. "Anna, you can start tutoring Hao tomorrow after you're done with Yoh."

The blond girl wanted to melt away into nothingness that very minute.

* * *

><p>End of Chapter 26<p> 


	27. Chapter 27: Origins

The Four Kingdoms

By Elle Pellano

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

A/N: I apologize again for the very delayed update of this story….

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter XXVII. Origins<strong>

Anna fixed her eyes on the person across the table. She and her new student had engaged in a staring game ever since their tutoring session had begun almost three minutes ago. This game had already evolved into a muted scream of curses and violent visualizations of murder and torture - at least in her perspective. She didn't have the slightest clue what her companion was contemplating at that moment or if he was even participating in this silent war. Prince Hao just kept on looking at her with profound amusement like she was some kind of freshly caught insect trying to flee from its glass prison. She wanted so much to punch him squarely on the face to erase his annoying smirk but she was determined to win this staring game.

"So…" Prince Hao finally broke the silence before her temper goes out of control. "… you know a lot about Kasai?"

"Yes," she answered calmly despite the fact that the prince threw the question as if questioning her credentials as a governess.

_So much as if I was born in here._

Reading thick volumes of books about Kasai and listening to Yoh's adventures had taught her a lot about this foreign kingdom. Perhaps she knew about Kasai more than Kouku now. A thought that she would rather not entertain for it implied that she's becoming comfortable in this kingdom.

"Okay, it seemed like it," Prince Hao did not look convinced but did not dwell on the matter any further. "I was just wondering… How did you and my brother meet?"

"We met in Chikyuu… " Anna recalled her supposed-to-be hometown.

"Ahh… the town near the border - a small laidback town with agriculture as its main industry," the prince scoffed. "It was once a flourishing town hundreds of years ago when trading between the four kingdoms was still open. In fact, most of this kingdom's rich clans originated from Chikyuu but had to leave and transfer to other parts of Kasai when the war broke out. After the peace treaty was signed that town's economy crumbled and only the poor farmers remained to plow dirt. Oh pardon me for blabbing, I'm sure you know your hometown's unfortunate history."

"_What a liar! Why am I forced to teach this know-it-all? _The blond girl clenched her fists.

"Kasai had lost half of its wealth and glory ever since the war. This kingdom is too prudent to even enrol its future ruler to the prestigious Royal Patch Academy," Prince Hao snorted.

"Perhaps King Mikihisa has more important projects to fund than send his son to the Academy. I'm certain that Prince Yoh is well-educated and well-trained to be king even if he is being home-schooled," Anna defended her student.

"On the contrary my dear, I'm not talking about him. I'm talking about me. I AM the future king." The other Kasai prince gritted his teeth.

Anna felt the tension between them growing. She had touched a nerve, an unburied history of one-sided sibling rivalry.

"My brother is not competent enough to raise Kasai to its former pedestal. He is a weakling. He is not of monarchy material."

"Oh your Highness," the blond girl scowled at her companion, "you are belittling your brother. I am certain he is primed for the job."

"Nonetheless his skills will never match up to mine. He would wet his pants if he were to face the Kaminari prince in the battlefield while I can make him scream like a girl."

_Oh I'm beginning to hate this obnoxious brute even more. Why is he dragging Ren into this?_

"There will be NO war between the four kingdoms so please stop conjuring weird ideas. Besides, Prince Yoh can hone his skills without difficulty so he can be of equal level with you. No, forget what I said. He would become a BETTER king than YOU because he has true compassion for the people of Kasai something that YOU clearly lack."

"Enough!" Hao slammed the table with his hands.

"If your highness wishes me to leave his presence I would gladly do so." Anna collected the books she brought and stood up from her seat.

The other Kasai Prince quickly grabbed her free hand. "Who said you are leaving?" he whispered threateningly.

* * *

><p>"Your Highnesses," the Patch instructor Silva addressed his class of royal bloods with great enthusiasm. "I have read your essays on your partner's kingdoms and they were really good."<p>

Master Silva arranged the papers in an orderly bundle and started to hand them back to their respective owners. Occasional gasps of delight and a few sighs of disappointment resounded within the walls of the classroom.

"Some were so informative and beautifully written that they deserve to be given extra merit," Silva stopped by Prince Ren's seat and smiled at him. "Shall we give a cheerful applause to the Kaminari-Kouri royal pair?"

Princess Pirika smiled at her partner who returned it with a thumb up.

"You see, Your Majesties, even enemies can produce something good if they help each other out. By the way, the Friendship Ball is drawing near. I am praying to the Great Spirit for a peaceful celebration. Let's set aside our differences, can you all promise me that?"

"Yes, Master Silva," the class responded out of habit.

"Good. Now today, let us delve into the subject of Royal symbols. Majority of the kingdoms and dukedoms in this world had designed a symbol to represent their royal family. To name a few, the Tao's have the wheel of balance, the Diethel's have the pendulum, the Asakura's have the six-pointed tree, the Usui's have the butterbur leaf while the Kyouyama's have the 1080 bead necklace. Because royal clans have existed for hundreds even thousands of years, these symbols were eventually used to signify the kingdom or dukedom as a whole. Why is a symbol important? There are a lot of reasons actually but I will give you only three. The rest will be an after-school work in the form of an essay."

The whole class groaned but Master Silva continued his lecture.

"First, a symbol is a source of power and/or inspiration during war. For whatever reason he has, a king is not always present in the battlefield. Not seeing their leader would lower down the morale of the tired and war-beaten troops. So when a flag displaying their kingdom's symbol is raised up, they are reminded of their cause, their pledge to risk their life for their beloved kingdom. Second, a symbol offers a sense of honor and importance. To a commoner who received a letter bearing the symbol of the king thanking him for his efforts is already an act of recognition on the part of the monarchy. Third, it gives a sense of urgency and authenticity. News and public statements become genuine and official when the dry stamp or letter head bears the kingdom's symbol."

"So that means when I receive an execution letter bearing the symbol of our dukedom, then I should fear for my life!" Chocolove exclaimed.

"Yes, but it will be ironic because you will be issuing that letter yourself as the new duke," Master Silva answered him a matter-of-factly.

The whole class laughed. Prince Ren and Lyserg glared at their friend for blurting out nonsensical things.

"But sometimes it isn't enough to pass up a letter with the kingdom's symbol printed, stamped or dry sealed on it as coming from the palace. There are a lot of crooks who are expert forgers out there," Lyserg pointed out.

"Well-said Lyserg. That is why in some kingdoms, a special symbol is created to represent the king or the heir to the throne. This symbol is used by monarchs to exchange important and highly confidential telegrams to each other. The letters are usually delivered by hand and only by the king's trusted messenger."

"Ohh… so that's why my father dry seals his letter with a wolf symbol whenever he sends a message to me," the Kouri royal thought out loud.

"I don't think it is right for you to divulge that information, Princess Pirika…" Master Silva scratched his head.

* * *

><p>Prince Hao narrowed the gap between them so that his face was dangerously close to hers. "My dear Anna, why do you care for my brother so much? If he becomes king, you would return to the filthy place where you came from. Tamao would ensure that. But if I would become king, I can make you my queen. We can rule Kasai together. Isn't that a happier thought?"<p>

"For someone like you who thinks highly of himself, I didn't expect you to settle with a palace maid for his wife," the blond girl tried to pull away from the prince's grip but he squeezed her frail arm even more.

"How queer that you do not act like a servant, Anna. You are just like me. So high and mighty that I'm beginning to think that you are some spoiled princess from another kingdom."

"I am a proud governess after all."

"That's why I like you. You are different from my ex-fiancee who's too refined she bored me to death. Not to mention she always talks about the prince of Kaminari, that bastard friend of hers for three years at the Royal Patch Academy."

"Oh so this is what it is all about?" The blond girl smirked. "Don't vent out your jealousy issues on me."

"No, I'm not jealous. In fact I let her go. She's not worth my time. I just pity the Kaminari prince's fiancée if ever he had one. Could you imagine how lonely she had been while he was far away flirting with another girl? Perhaps in her loneliness, the fiancée ran away and found another prince. But it's too late. She had already fallen for him when she found out that the prince was set to marry another woman. It's a tragic story, isn't it?"

Anna did not respond.

"Maybe she would meet a better prince, am I right?" Prince Hao took this opportunity to lower his lips on hers. But before he could caress them with his own, there came a heavy thud followed by a tremendous pain on his right foot.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I accidentally dropped these." Anna gathered her hardbound weapons on the floor while hiding her smirk. "Your Highness, if I may give an unsolicited advice to the Kaminari prince's fiancé, I'd tell her to go back home before she meets a despicable pervert like you. By the way this is for trying to kiss me." She slapped him hard with her left hand such that his long silky hair swayed with the impact.

The blond girl stomped her way out of the prince's room.

Prince Hao chuckled after he was left alone with an aching foot and a stinging cheek. "You are quite an interesting woman, Anna."

* * *

><p>She was the newest chambermaid in the Kouku palace. This was probably the reason why she was bullied into doing the one thing the rest of the palace servants had dreaded. After all, cleaning the monarchs' blood-soaked room was not an easy undertaking. She wanted to give her co-workers the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps this task was just too difficult, too emotional for them to handle as it would evoke the gruesome events that took place during the night of the murder.<p>

Her heart raced as she went near the closed door. Bloody pieces of wood protruded from a hole where the pointed weapon went through. They said that the murdered king was impaled on this very door. He was pierced so deep that it left a gaping hole in his chest when the weapon was removed.

Amidst the foul stench coming from inside the room, she stopped herself from vomiting and slowly pushed the door open.

She was terrified at the scene that unfolded. She wanted to back out, to run downstairs and cry in the servants' quarters but her job was at stake. Her mother would be disappointed if she quit serving the _Kyouyama_ household for their clan was a line of trusted palace servants. Only now there were no _Kyouyama_'s anymore.

The room reeked of death. The floor was painted with blood that already congealed. Only the bodies and weapons were taken out but the chamber and all its paraphernalia and furniture were left untouched ever since the murder. It had been the new king's order not to move and remove anything from the scene of the crime until the investigation was finished. Apparently, King Tori had given up on his search for justice and she, as an initiation rite to her servanthood, was given license to put the place in order.

Tears flowed down her cheeks as she went to her knees and began to scrub the floor rigorously. Then she saw something sparkled like gold near a stone tile that had a piece chipped off. She crawled towards it and carefully laid the object on the palm of her hand. It was a star-shaped gold pin.

* * *

><p>End of Chapter 27<p> 


	28. Chapter 28: The Heir's Insignia

The Four Kingdoms

By Elle Pellano

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

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><p><strong>Chapter XXVIII. The Heir's Insignia<strong>

Princess Pirika skipped happily out of the classroom with her new group of friends. She never thought she would be enjoying the Royal Patch Academy this much. Three years ago, the only companion she had was her goofy older brother who had to quit school. Her other royal blood classmates were nice but they already formed their own cliques with allies from neighboring kingdoms and dukedoms. She had envied them all these years and secretly wished that Kouri was in good terms with Kaminari so that she can be friends with someone who is closer to her home. However, the peace treaty between the four kingdoms of their land always acted as an invisible wall between her and Prince Ren. Even if there were no peace treaty she won't probably be friends with the egotistic tyrant as what she had often called him in the past. Well, that was what she thought before the Tao heir came back from his trip.

The blue-haired princess took a sideway glance at her unexpected friend walking beside her. Prince Ren changed since he returned from Kaminari. They said that his fiancée had a mishap and died and he couldn't accept it. It had affected him so much as to suddenly change his demeanor particularly toward her. Oftentimes, they would talk about her.

_She had the eyes of a falcon ready to claw its escaping prey from the ground._ _Her tongue had the sharpness of a steel blade that would pierce even the fiercest men in her kingdom._

These may not be the proper words to describe his fiancée but every time he talked about her, there was both love and sadness in his eyes.

_She was smart, strong, proud and beautiful yet lonely deep inside. _

_Just like you, Ren. _She thought to herself. She wanted so much to bring back the sparkle of joy in his eyes.

"Are you once again hypnotized by my irresistible charms?" The Tao heir smirked at her when he caught her ogling at him.

She blushed furiously. Maybe some things would never change. "You're so full of yourself, Ren. Don't assume that every girl you meet is in love with you. I am definitely NOT!"

_Now that was a lie. _Her heart was pounding so loud that she feared the Kaminari prince might finally notice.

"That's very ungentlemanly of you, Ren... for you to think Princess Pirika is actually interested in you," there was spite in Lyserg's voice.

The prince's green-haired friend who was emanating a gloomy aura along with his cousin, Duchess Jean of Mont St. Michel strode with them at a close distance. The neglected Chocolove followed the four from behind.

"Lady Jeanne, aren't you excited about the upcoming Friendship ball? I heard that the menu is ten times more delicious than what the Academy is serving us everyday," Chocolove tried to ease the tension as always.

The silver-haired beauty nodded. "I'm having qualms about the security though… A lot of disputing kingdoms will be present in the event."

"Oh don't worry Jeanne. My father would deploy special units around the venue," Lyserg assured his cousin. Lyserg's father, Duke Liam Diethel continued to lead the Royal Police amidst his appointment as duke of Morphia. The Royal Police was tapped by the Royal Patch Academy to enforce security measures during the Friendship Ball.

"I bet Duke Liam had them all in place by now. By the way, are you bringing your fiancé to the ball, Lady Jeanne?" inquired Chocolove.

"That's ex-fiance for you," Lyserg gruffly replied. He had not yet forgiven that conceited Asakura royal blood for calling him girly.

Chocolove wore a dreamy expression. "So that means I can ask Lady Jeanne to be my date…"

"Sorry but that won't be possible. I'll be Lady Jeanne's chaperone," Lyserg put on a poker face. His father instructed him to accompany the Duchess during the ball. Not that he didn't want to be seen with the most gorgeous girl in the academy, he just had another one in mind to be his date. His cousin did not look so excited either.

"Aww… too bad. Maybe Princess Pirika would…" Chocolove began.

"Pirika's coming with me to the ball," Prince Ren cut him before he could finish.

"I am?" the Kouri princess looked surprised.

The Tao heir smiled charmingly at her.

Perhaps she couldn't resist his charms after all. Her father will be out of town during the night of the ball so he won't be coming over wearing an obvious disguise to check on her behind the shadows - a habit she wanted him so much to break. She hadn't heard any news from her father that her older brother would also be coming. Her big brother had a lot of responsibilities as king and couldn't spare any time to attend such social gatherings. Moreover, he would not have the courage to go back to the academy after what happened three years ago. His presence wouldn't be a problem, too.

"Yes, I am!" the princess could not contain her delight.

* * *

><p><em>Anna sure is grumpy today.<em>

Prince Yoh glanced at his personal maid who was standing with the rest of the palace servants at the side as they waited for the royal family to finish eating dinner.

The blond girl had been like that after she left his twin brother's room and caught him prying on them by the door. He quickly apologized and promised that he won't do it again though he was ready to barge into the room when Hao was about to kiss her. His musings of Anna came to a painful halt when Tamao pinched him on the arm.

"Yoh, you weren't paying any attention!"

"I'm sorry…" he rubbed soothingly the red mark. "What was it you're saying?" He remembered vaguely about Horo-Horo's sister giving his fiancée a letter.

"Tsk tsk. You should focus your eyes on your future wife and not on someone else, twin brother." Prince Hao smirked. "Your behavior is suggestive of an adulterous behavior. What a bad example for your subjects."

"Thanks for your concern brother-in-law but I'm confident my husband-to-be has his eyes only on me." Tamao flashed a firm look on the person beside her.

Prince Hao mumbled a word that sounded like 'ignorant' while he chewed a piece of steak.

"As I was saying before, Pirika handed me an invitation from the Royal Patch Academy. They will be conducting a Friendship Ball in a week's time and had asked Kasai to send four representatives to attend the gathering of monarchies from around the world."

"Sounds interesting My Dear… The children should go.. " Queen Keiko placed her hand over her husband's.

King Mikihisa thought about replenishing the gold and silver coins in the treasure room first before they could make any unnecessary expenses. Business with Kouri had been doing great lately and this would be a good opportunity to form an alliance with foreign kingdoms.

"Yes, they would go. Let's make preparations for it."

"Thank you Uncle Mikihisa!" Tamao exclaimed. It was her first time to attend a prestigious ball in a foreign land. She had already contacted the royal seamstress to sew the perfect dress for her.

"I expect you to act regally in that event." The king said sternly. "I don't want you tarnishing the Asakura name especially you, Yoh."

The Kasai heir lowered his gaze. He could clearly see the Asakura family's heirloom pinned on his chest. The small star-shaped brooch had been passed down to the heirs of the kingdom for generations. Whoever wears it must live up to the Asakura name. He was up to the challenge but the current king did not seem convinced.

"Yes father…" he answered meekly.

"King Miki, if I may... " the other Kasai prince raised a finger.

"Please continue Hao…"

"The invitation said that we can send four representatives to the ball. Currently, there are only three of us going. Tamao would naturally be Yoh's escort while I, on the other hand, will go alone. I would like to have someone accompany me, too."

"I'm sure your fiancé will gladly join you when you meet her there," Queen Keiko smiled unaware of the news.

"My Queen," the king cleared his throat. "The arranged marriage had been cut off. Sorry I forgot to tell you."

"Oh… but Jeanne's such a sweet girl.. Who would you be taking then?" the queen asked her son.

"If it is not so much to ask… I wish to take my tutor, Anna to the ball."

Tamao dropped her silver utensils on the plate. Prince Yoh choked on his red wine. The palace maid, Kanna stopped herself from strangling the concerned girl next to her while the rest of the servants stared at their blond colleague who was gaping disbelievingly at the long-haired prince.

_What are you thinking, you pervert?! _Anna wanted to melt away from the unsolicited attention that she was getting.

"But she's not a princess! How can she represent the kingdom?" Tamao stood up in anger.

"Oh look who's talking. Your blood is not as thick as ours." Prince Hao sneered.

"Don't stand up if everybody's not yet done with his meal," Old Queen Kino warned her.

The pink-haired girl grudgingly sat down.

"Hao, that's not a nice way to talk to your relative," the former Kasai queen berated her grandson.

"Distant relative is the correct term, oldie," The prince casually replied.

"Hao, that's not the proper way to address your grandmother," King Mikihisa tried to control his temper.

"Father, please be open-minded about it. Yes, Anna is a commoner but do royal bloods have the sole right to stand for the kingdom?" The other Kasai prince eyed his father whose face was hidden behind the bird mask. He couldn't remember what those scars looked like but he could clearly recall how he had inflicted them on him.

"You have once told me that the true representative of this kingdom is the people of Kasai. By sending a commoner to the ball, we are delivering this important message to the rest of the monarchies. Here in Kasai, we are treating everyone equally."

_Wow, brother is really good._ Prince Yoh admired his twin from across the table.

"Uncle Mikihisa, " Tamao wouldn't lose to her arrogant brother-in-law, "that reasoning is only right if the commoner who you will send is of exemplary character, someone fit to represent the kingdom. In Anna's case, she's not worthy."

"Not all royal bloods are of exemplary character, too, Tamao. Perhaps you should give her the benefit of the doubt," Old Queen Kino responded to the blond girl's defense.

"I agree with grandma and brother," Prince Yoh beamed at his personal maid who's emitting a dark aura from the palace servants' line up. "Anna maybe a commoner but she surely embodies a good citizen of Kasai."

_All this talk just to go to a party. _ King Mikihisa sighed.

"Very well, Anna will go to the ball. That's my final decision."

* * *

><p>"Anna, wait up!" Prince Yoh rushed to the blond girl who was on her way to the servants' chamber.<p>

"Don't come near, Yoh. I am in a bad position right now. The other palace maids are not so happy about my special treatment." Anna did not even turn around to look at him.

"I'm sorry but I only did that to help you…" the prince paced after her.

"I know."

"You do?" They stopped at the first step of the staircase that leads down to the sleeping quarters.

"I was angry at first but after thinking about it, coming to the ball is really beneficial for me. If representatives from all kingdoms will be attending, then there is a high possibility that Ren will be there. After all, he is a student of the Royal Patch Academy. I'll find him and ask him to bring me home."

"Yes… That is my idea, too. I'm sorry I can't bring you back by myself."

"Don't be apologetic on your failure to fulfill your promise to me. I'll let it pass."

_That did not sound reassuring._ Prince Yoh thought.

"You should worry more about your twin brother. Don't let him overshadow you."

Anna pressed her finger on the star-shaped gold pin on his chest. "Have you forgotten what this stands for?"

Yoh shook his head and repeated his tutor's previous lecture. "The star symbolizes the king of Kasai. The grooves that form a six-pointed tree at the center of the star represent the kingdom. It is a reminder to the king that Kasai should always be at the center of his heart."

"And why was this given to you?"

"Because I am the rightful heir to the throne."

"Good. Now, don't let anyone especially your brother steal the kingship from you, Yoh. He might not love the kingdom as much as you do."

"My brother is not like that."

"How can you be sure? You have witnessed our confrontation yourself! I do not trust him."

"He is still my brother, Anna… He grew apart from the family that's why he's a little bit… unpleasant."

"You're so naïve, Yoh. There's no point in arguing with you. I'm going to sleep," She scurried downstairs in her frustration.

* * *

><p>The stars shone brightly that night. There was a multitude of them sparkling like shards of a broken mirror. Prince Hao marveled at the lovely sight. Stargazing at the rooftop was his usual past time in Mont St. Michel. He brought the hobby back home but the palace rooftop was so high and steep that he gladly settled himself on the balcony of his elegant room. He was enjoying his quiet time when a soft knock came from the other side of the door.<p>

"Go away! I'm trying to rest," he called out.

"Your Highness, it's me…"

Prince Hao opened the door.

The blue-haired woman invited herself into the prince's chamber. Prince Hao roamed the corridor with his eyes. The two royal guards stationed at the far end of the hall seemed to be both snoozing on the job. It was safe to accept unwelcomed visitors.

The prince gently closed the door from behind him. Then furrowed his eyebrows at the intruder of his privacy.

"My dear Kanna, what brings you here?" he tried to mask his irritated voice.

"Why did you choose her over me?" Bitter tears started to roll down her cheeks.

"What are you talking about Kanna?"

"I did everything for you. I had risked my life for you but you neglected my feelings for that bitch!"

"Don't be carried away. I'm doing this because it's needed. That Anna and my brother, they seemed to be hiding a secret."

Kanna wiped away her tears. "A secret?"

"Yes, I'm dubious about Anna's character. I want to find out more that's why I'm keeping her within an arm's reach. Perhaps you could help me once more?"

"Yes, my loyalties have and will always lie with you, the true king of Kasai. I'll assist you my beloved Prince Hao in any way I can…"

"Thank you Kanna… Maybe you can retrieve a clue among Anna's belongings on who she really is. If you find something," Hao brushed his lips on Kanna's ear, "I'll give you an unforgettable reward…"

Kanna's cheeks turned pink. "I will do my best Your Majesty." Then she slowly opened the door and left feeling quite relieved.

Hao waved at her then pushed the door closed. "Women… what a pain they are."

* * *

><p>End of Chapter 28<p> 


	29. Chapter 29: Damuko (Part I)

The Four Kingdoms

By Elle Pellano

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

Author's Note: I have no idea what Horo-Horo's mom was called so I just christened her with a new name.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter XXIX. Damuko (Part I)<strong>

King Horokeu slid open the glass doors leading to the balcony of his bedroom. He was greeted by the picturesque landscape of Fubuki, the central town and seat of power in the kingdom of Kouri. Although he woke up to the same scenery every day, he had never really gotten tired of it.

Fubuki was not as grandiose as Kasai's Chikyuu. In fact, Kouri as a whole paled in comparison with the other three kingdoms in terms of land area, population size and architectural aesthetics. Residing on the easternmost tip of the land, this little kingdom only had a central seaport town and four other small farming villages with butterbur as their major crop. Military resources were scarce but the people did not consider this as a major drawback because they were a peace-loving nation after all. The citizens were highly confident in their undermanned but well-trained army. Besides, the Asakura clan of Kasai had also taken an oath that they would be extending their military support to them in times of conflict and although it may not look like it, Kouri was highly capable of paying for extra armament and manpower if the situation deemed it necessary.

Life in Kouri was quiet and simple and King Horokeu appreciated his role there more than the very first time the golden crown had been laid forcibly on his head by his father. The former ruler, Lycan Usui had left home after bestowing his administrative rights to him. He had never visited his turf ever since so his son got quite a shock after seeing such a bulky bearded man offering him breakfast in bed the moment he woke up that morning.

"You could have telegrammed me first so that I'll know you would be coming," the young ruler of Kouri called out from the balcony to his long absent father who was placing down the utensils and plates from the breakfast tray onto the small coffee table.

"Sorry, I was too excited to see my son after - ", Lycan began to count with his fingers.

"Seven years. Could you cut off that ugly beard? It's giving me the creeps!"

"Oh, was it that long?"

King Horokeu was not sure if his father was asking about the length of his absence or his beard. He would have replied a 'yes' either way.

"It's a good thing Tona recognized you and let you go through my door."

"Actually, he did not. He tried to grapple me. Come let's have breakfast first."

His son entered the room and sat by the coffee table. "So how did you make yourself known?"

"Well, it was quite easy. I just showed him this," Lycan took out something from his pocket. It was his wife's snowflake-shaped locket containing their children's photos when they were still babies.

"You and Pirika were so cute here, Horo-horo."

The young king reddened with embarrassment. "Stop! I don't want to hear anything of that sort old man!" He finished off his breakfast pancake in four big bites.

"What brought you here anyway?" he asked after gulping down his glass of milk. The former king must have something very important to tell. "The tunnels will be almost complete. I had to employ farmers to give extra hands on the digging. By the end of the month, we can start transporting-"

"My son," Lycan interrupted him. "I came here for personal and not for business reasons. I'm here to visit you that's all." He grinned widely at him.

King Horokeu replied with a raised eyebrow. He wasn't really convinced that his father would suddenly pop out for nothing.

"Well… it's also because of this," his father fumbled for something from his coat.

"Aha! I was right. There is something else, isn't it?"

Lycan handed him an ornately decorated envelope bearing the dry seal of a feather.

King Horokeu looked surprised.

"It's an invitation to the friendship ball," his father explained.

The young monarch stared at the letter from the Royal Patch Academy.

He was only ten when his father had sent him off to a foreign land to get formal education. He didn't think it was necessary for him to attend an academic institution for royal bloods to learn how to grow butterbur and run the kingdom. He had strongly voiced this out to Lycan who seemed to have made up his mind already. If only his mother were there, she could have talked some sense into his father so that he would not have made him go. Alas, Yukina left them when Pirika was barely a year old.

When his verbal protests went unheard, he resorted to locking himself up in his room three days before the royal ship set sail. His father had tirelessly pounded on his door with a threat to cut back his meals yet he was unfazed for he had already commissioned the help of his younger sister to sneak in provisions into his room while everybody slept. The former king was impatient but he proved to be a good strategist. On the night before his voyage, his father had secretly employed the help of the palace guards to climb soundlessly into the balcony of his room while he drooled in his slumber and transport his things to the royal ship docked at the sea port. He woke up the following morning only to find his entire wardrobe and personal belongings gone. His father was waiting outside his door with two options for him: You can stay here and wear your underpants forever or go to school and have your things back. He had no other choice.

King Horokeu gazed at the dwarf-like plushie lying on top of his bedside cabinet. _It's been a long time, Damuko... _

He could still clearly remember what had transpired there seven years ago.

* * *

><p><em>It was his first day of school and he found himself standing side by side with a grouchy-looking man with a sharp nose and thin wide lips. Despite the old man's diminutive stature, he had an air of authority around him that would silence even the most stubborn student in an instant. About fifteen pairs of eyes stared back at them with extreme curiosity. Some were sizing him up from head to foot trying to figure out what made him so special as to merit the introduction of the academy's top official. Apparently, this was the first time in the school's history that an enrollee had been accompanied to his class by no other than the headmaster himself.<em>

"_Everyone, this is Prince Horokeu Usui from the kingdom of Kouri."_

_Murmurs began to fill the room. _

"_Kouri? That tiny piece of farmland?"_

"_I can't believe Master Goldva's favorite was from that LITTLE kingdom." _

"_I bet his father paid the academy with tons of butterbur!"_

_Horo-Horo tried to ignore his classmates' derisions but he was already balling his fists. If he started a fight now, he might be sent back home in an instant. Well, maybe that was not such a bad thing but his father would be very disappointed if he saw him knocking at the palace gates earlier than expected._

"_This is his first day here at the academy. Please treat him nicely. Can I hear a response?"_

"_Yes, Headmaster Goldva," the students chorused._

"_Good, you may proceed with your class, Master Silva," the head master nodded at the Patch instructor and left the room._

"_Prince Horokeu, kindly take that empty seat beside Ms. Kurobe."_

_He approached the empty wooden chair with caution. The girl to his right smiled at him but he ignored her completely. He hated it there. It was no fun sitting on a chair for two hours and listening to a serious-looking instructor rattle about senseless information. At that very moment, he could have been out into the butterbur fields playing hide-and-seek with his sister. He could have run into the sea port to play pirate king with the fishermen's children or he could have gone to Kasai to bother Yoh with his royal training. He was missing his old life already. When Master Silva announced lunch break, he felt like a prisoner finally freed from a cold damp dungeon._

"_Hi! Do you want to join me for lunch?" his girl seatmate smiled at him for the second time. It was only then that he noticed how cute she is._

"_Okay," he quickly agreed for he did not have any idea where to eat._

_He followed her into an elegant dining hall with a dome shaped ceiling from which a crystal chandelier hanged. At the center was a long buffet table full of appetizing and freshly-prepared cuisine. The heirs of the rich and powerful monarchies of the world occupied the lines of linen-covered tables that were set for fine dining. For the first time in his life Horo-Horo actually felt like a true prince. They didn't have those lavish things at the Kouri palace. He excitedly filled his tray with all sorts of food he can find. _

_The girl giggled at him as they settled on the dining table she picked._

"_You're going to enjoy it here," she said. "I'm Tamiko Kurobe by the way."_

"_Glad to meet you Princess Tamiko," he said with his mouth full. He was not an avid fan of good manners after all._

_The girl laughed heartily as if she had witnessed a court jester displaying his antics. Horo-Horo stared at her in astonishment. Was it something he said or was there food bits on his face?_

"_I'm not a princess." she explained. "My father is just good at building dams and he had many kingdoms as clients. That's why he can afford to send me here. I'm sure you're far more affluent than me."_

_No, Kouri is just a kingdom of farmers. He would have replied that to her but he was choking on a piece of steak._

_Tamiko handed him a glass of grape juice which he gratefully accepted. _

"_Because my father is a dam builder, other students here started calling me Damuko. I guess you can use that little nickname on me but in return, I will also call you by some other name. 'Horokeu' sounds too old and mature."_

"_Horo-Horo is fine."_

"_Glad to meet you Horo-Horo."_

_Since that meeting, they were inseparable._

* * *

><p>"<em>Horo-Horo!" Damuko could not contain her joy as she approached her blue-haired friend at their favorite dining table. "Today is Queen Yuki's Day! There's an ongoing festivity in town with street performances and food stalls and game booths and I heard there will be a floating lantern display tonight. It's such a waste that we can't go." <em>

"_What is Queen Yuki's Day?" the Kouri prince apparently could not relate._

"_You don't know?! You are not listening to Master Chrom's lecture are you?" his friend waved a finger at him. "Queen Yuki's Day is an annual commemoration of the former queen, Yuki's birthday. You see there was a large kingdom here ruled by Queen Yuki before she divided it among her royal advisers."_

"_Why would she ever do that?"_

"_Well, she had no heir and she indicated in her last will and testament that her kingdom be divided equally into four. A quarter of the land was given each to her trusted royal advisers namely Orona McDonell, Liam Diethel and Francois Mont St. Michel. The last piece of land where the palace stood was donated to the Royal Patch Academy."_

"_So our school building was a former palace? Wow! That queen must have come from a very rich family."_

"_Yes, she was affluent yet very humble. Because of her generosity, the dukedoms are celebrating the queen's birthday every year. Too bad we can't go outside to see it."_

"_Why not?"_

"_We have to secure an exit pass from the headmaster to go out of the academy but the only way he will allow us to leave is when we're accompanied by a family member. And even though Father is here, there's a one-to-a-million chance that the headmaster will give us his authorization since it is almost dark outside. Nobody is allowed to leave the school premises at night." Disappointment was painted all over Damuko's face. _

"_Aw… maybe I'll try again next year."_

"_Do you really want to go?" Horo-Horo grinned at his friend._

"_Yes!"_

"_Then let's go!"_

_Damuko stared back at him with utter disbelief. "Without the school's permission?"_

"_We'll only be out for a few hours. By the time the school announces lights off, we'll be right under our bed covers. "_

"_But how are we going to leave without being caught?"_

_The blue-haired boy thought for a while. "Follow me."_

* * *

><p><em>John Denbat leaned on the wall and daydreamed about playing the violin in a high-class party. He had often considered himself a natural-born musician but it was his parents' bidding that compelled him to enter the security forces. He was a royal guard for three years at the palace of the deceased Queen Yuki but since the disestablishment of the former kingdom, he had been employed by the Royal Patch Academy to serve under the school's private security forces. It was the same monotonous task and the same old building to protect. He hated it all. He might have changed his opinion about being a security personnel if he was not asked to leave his previous post. Being a hallway sentinel at the now converted palace was far nobler (and warmer) than a lowly gatekeeper to the school's south exit. He began to whistle out of boredom but stopped when he caught his partner eyeing him from head to foot as if assessing his competence for the responsibility of safeguarding the future kings and queens of the world. <em>

_Why was I ever stuck with this guy? John would often curse at the headmaster for making him work with a rigid and dull person such as Chris Venstar. _

_Chris was an imposing muscular man with the appearance of a military general. He was a former royal guard, too and was too dedicated at his job that he considered slackers such as John to be unworthy of the position. "Will you stand up properly? Your lazy posture is hurting my eyes."_

"_Why? Nobody is looking anyway," John lit up a cigar which he had taken out of his pocket. The school banned smoking in its premises but he did not care. It's not like the headmaster's razor-sharp vision can see him through the thick trees near the south gate._

"_You're a bad influence to the prince and princesses of this school. Have you got no shame?"_

"_Those rich brats aren't going to see me. Not a single one of them had passed by this place to say hello. Relax! Those kids are too afraid to break school rules."_

"_Quiet!" Chris's annoyed expression suddenly changed to an alarmed look._

"_What now?"_

"_I heard movements over there." He pointed at the thick clump of shrubs and trees near the stone path leading to the school's kitchen door._

_The color quickly drained from John's face. For the whole three years of his career he had never experience any conflict. His partner looked too damn serious. Someone or something was out there. _

"_Then go see it," he told Chris a matter-of-factly trying to hide his fright under a mask of calmness._

"_Yes, you're right. Don't leave your spot. If he comes running, prevent him from escaping through the gate, understand?" The bold Chris Venstar left him immediately._

_John gulped. He was hoping no deranged lunatic or a murderous criminal or even a hungry wild animal would come his way. He would have fainted the moment he saw one. Maybe he wasn't really fit to be a security personnel. He was now seriously considering a change in career after this experience. _

_He was alone only for a minute when he heard a blood-curdling scream. It came from Chris's direction. Without looking back, he hurriedly pulled down the lever to slightly raise the gate and scampered away into the darkness._

_Two short giggling figures went out into the open after he left._

* * *

><p>"<em>That was a great idea Horo-Horo!" Damuko let out her laughter when they were already far away from the school.<em>

"_Yep, that was my original scare-the-gatekeepers-off tactic. I used to do that to our very own palace guards at home," the blue-haired prankster said proudly. "Thanks for making me use your doll and paint as props. You may not want her back though." _

_He had borrowed Damuko's porcelain walking doll which was a gift from her father earlier. The poor doll which was tall enough to be mistaken for a four year old child had been stripped off its fancy dress and strategically painted with patches of red on its white limbs and face. Horo-Horo removed the doll's pigtails, spread about its long black hair and dropped a trickle of red paint on both its blue glassy eyes. He then hanged it with a rope around its neck on a tree branch where the unlucky royal guard saw it swinging._

"_Oh, that's okay. I already outgrew it." Damuko assured her friend. She would give up everything just to witness the celebration at the town square. _

_They walked as fast as their feet could carry them until they heard distant music from drums and accordion being played. At last, they reached the central town and the most memorable night of their lives had just begun._

* * *

><p><em>Horo-Horo marveled at the colorful festivities before him. There were celebrations like this in Kouri but not as extravagant as this. Street performers where simultaneously doing shows on every open space they could find in the square. The aroma of grilled meat and freshly baked sweets tempted him into walking towards the food stalls and experiencing their gastronomic delights. He had already started devouring a stick of lamb barbecue when Damuko pulled him away.<em>

"_Aww… Damuko, let me eat first," Horo-Horo complained._

"_You already had dinner in school. You're hungry again?" she rolled her eyes as she dragged him._

"_I'm a growing kid, you know. Do you want to play another game? You already had Kororo." He was referring to the small dwarf-like plushie that he had won for her in the dart booth._

"_No, I'm fine with Kororo. Thanks for giving it to me. But the floating lantern display is about to start. We need to get a good spot."_

"_Damuko, wait up!" Horo-Horo grabbed his friend's arm to stop her._

_They paused in front of the statue of a regal woman with her slender arms wide open as if beckoning them to come forward and embrace her. On her neck hanged a familiar-looking snowflake-shaped pendant. _

_Mother…_

_Horo-Horo felt a small lump on his throat. His mother left them when they were very young yet he could still clearly remember how she looked like. _

_Your mother needed to do something very important. Their father explained but he did not emphasize that she wasn't coming back._

"_This is Queen Yuki. Beautiful isn't she?" Damuko admired the stone lady._

_Horo-Horo suddenly felt like crying. He hated the feeling of being abandoned. The former queen's statue has this effect on him. He began to walk away before the tears came rolling down his cheeks._

"_Let's go to your floating lantern NOW." _

_Damuko noticed her friend's sudden change in mood. "Hey Horo-Horo, is there something wrong?" she called out to him but he ignored her. She wanted to hold his hand to tell him everything's going to be okay but a greasy arm grabbed her from behind._

"_Help me Horo-Horo!"_

* * *

><p><em>Luchist Lasso had served in the disestablished kingdom's military as the most promising general of his time. He was a renowned strategist who boasted a one hundred percent success rate in all his crime-busting missions which earned him admiration even from foreign kingdoms. When the queen died and the military forces had been dissolved, he was appointed by Duke Liam Diethel, the founder of the Royal Police as a squad leader of the security unit that watched over the former central town. <em>

_That night, the town was far from being peaceful. There was a festival in the name of the former queen and the merrymaking citizens had organized themselves around her giant statue at the square. Luchist normally hated noisy crowds but right now, he was grateful for their presence. The continued revelry served as an indication that the Royal Police had been in good control of the situation. Nobody was curious enough to wonder why the number of police officers in the area had suddenly multiplied._

_That's right. Enjoy the festivities and let us do our job. Luchist said to no one._

_Just a few minutes ago they were chasing after a death row convict who had escaped from prison. The unstable man who was charged with arson and multiple counts of homicide possessed a gun which he took from the jail guard he had recently killed. Knowing that the police would not want to stir mass hysteria at such time, the convict had led them into the party scene and blended himself among the citizens._

_Luchist's mission was to retrieve the criminal as discretely as possible so as not to cause panic during a celebratory occasion. He carefully surveyed the crowd with his eyes, examining each ragged and dirty person he could find among the people. But it was a difficult task of finding a needle in a haystack. The commencement of the floating lantern exhibit had citizens flocking the square every minute. _

_Come on. Show yourself. We got you surrounded. Luchist wanted to loudly threaten the convict in hiding but he knew too well he couldn't do that at such place. He roamed his eyes to check if a police unit had been deployed in every possible exit at the town square. The security forces had intermingled with the citizens, eating barbecues, watching street performers, talking to women. This was to avoid suspicions from the townsfolk that something was wrong._

_You can't escape us. You can't escape ME. _

_Just when Luchist was getting impatient, a girl screamed nearby._

* * *

><p>End of Chapter 29<p> 


	30. Chapter 30: Damuko (Part II)

The Four Kingdoms

By Elle Pellano

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter XXX. Damuko (Part II)<strong>

_It was total chaos in an instant. _

_People began running from all directions. Women screamed. Children cried. Some sellers grabbed as much merchandise they could carry before they abandoned their stalls. The surrounding security forces tried desperately to shepherd the crowd away from the hostage area._

"_Damuko!" Horo-Horo was horrified to find his friend held at gunpoint by a grubby man. _

"_Don't come closer or I'll shoot this girl dead!" threatened the death row inmate. A group of police men had now rushed to the scene. _

_The tallest of the police officers who seemed to be the leader of the security unit waved at the others to step back. He then addressed the anxious blue-haired lad who apparently was an acquaintance of the hostage victim. "Out of the way, boy. Let me handle this." He quickly recognized the Royal Patch Academy uniform that the boy and the girl victim were wearing. Why on earth are these blue bloods out here?_

"_Please drop your weapon. We can talk about this." Luchist turned his attention to the escaped convict. "What do you want? Maybe I can help you." He spoke in his well-practiced negotiating tone yet he had never lowered his gun the whole time._

_The hostage taker laughed. "Who are you fooling officer? You would just send me back to that stinking jail!"_

_Yeah, you're right. Who am I kidding? Luchist thought but continued on with his flowery talk. "My friend I know you are not such a bad person. I promise you, I would appeal to the jury to lower your sentence if you would just let the poor girl go."_

"_Don't toy with me!" The death row inmate poked Damuko's head lightly with the gun. "I shouldn't have been sent to prison in the first place! Those god damned relatives of mine deserved to die! They made me and my brother suffer too much. Where is justice in this world, officer? Tell me!"_

"_There is justice, my friend, but you took it with your own hands. Let me help you truly obtain it." Luchist tried to focus his gaze at his target. _

_If I can aim for the forehead, I could bring him down instantly. He is meant to die anyway._

_But before he could pull the trigger, the blue-haired boy suddenly picked up a rock._

"_Don't!" he barked at him but it was too late. Horo-Horo had already hurled the stone at the hostage taker. It hit the death row inmate at the forehead making him yelp in pain, freeing Damuko in the process._

"_Damuko run!" Horo-Horo shouted at his friend. The young girl scampered away as fast as her legs could carry her._

_The escapee was quick to recover. Blood from the open wound trickled down the convict's face making him looked even more like a terrifying mad man._

"_You pesky little brat!" He fired instantly at the boy. Luchist answered back almost at the same time with a gunshot aimed at the already bleeding wound. _

_Two bodies dropped to the ground after a split second._

* * *

><p><em>The passing of Tamiko Kurobe was unfortunate but the true cause of her death was only known to the Royal Police, the school officials, her father, and her friend who was at the scene with her. The Royal Patch Academy did everything to contain the news of the incident within its four walls. The headmaster had literally dropped down to his knees to beg for forgiveness from Damuko's father and to plead that he won't tell a soul about the incident or it would ruin the school's reputation. Mr. Kurobe reluctantly agreed in exchange for justice, something the Royal Police can only offer. <em>

_In order to prevent controversies and rumors from spreading around the school, the headmaster announced to the student body that Tamiko Kurobe had died of a heart attack during the stillness of the night. The young royal bloods were shocked. They did not expect her to be suffering from such kind of illness. Damuko seemed to be always energetic despite being out of place in the academy. They tried asking her only friend, Prince Horokeu Usui if he knew about her illness but the boy avoided them. He still looked shaken and would prefer to be alone. He stayed out of people's way and stopped attending classes ever since Damuko's body was transported to her home town._

_He thought that his frequent absence from class had finally prompted the headmaster to call him to his office one day. When he entered the dreaded room, the first person he saw was an aristocratic man with a characteristic moustache standing gravely next to the headmaster's desk._

"_Ah Prince Horokeu, this is Mr. Shinji Kurobe," the head master introduced them._

_Horo-Horo's heart raced. He was not yet ready to face Damuko's father after what happened._

_Mr. Kurobe must have noticed the young boy's distress so he let out a warm smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Prince Horo-Horo. My daughter told me a lot about you in her recent letters." He took something out of his coat pocket. "I was planning to stow this away to our storage room along with her other things but I thought you might like to keep it."_

_The prince eyes glazed upon receiving the plushie called Kororo. It smiled happily at him just like Damuko used to do._

"_They found it in her uniform's pocket when they were cleaning her body. I don't remember giving it to her so it must have come from you. Thank you for being a good friend to my Tamiko," Mr. Kurobe bowed down._

_Horo-Horo could not contain his guilt anymore. If there's one person to whom he owed an apology, it was to the man in front of him. He dropped to his knees and broke into tears. "I'm sorry Mr. Kurobe. It was all my fault. I shouldn't have made her go to the celebration. I shouldn't have angered the hostage taker."_

"_My dear prince," Damuko's father gently pulled him up as he sniveled continuously. "I accept your apology. My daughter had really wanted to witness Queen Yuki's Day ever since we began celebrating it but I was too busy with my work to accompany her. She must have enjoyed the event and for that I am grateful that you took her out. As for the hostage taking, nobody wanted that to happen. You were just at the wrong place at the wrong time." He patted the young boy's shoulder. "It was nice meeting you, Prince Horo-Horo. I must leave now. Please live a long and happy life."_

_Mr. Kurobe nodded farewell at the headmaster and left the room. _

_Horo-Horo was still sniffing uncontrollably._

"_Come, my prince." The head master motioned him to approach his table._

_He then gave him his handkerchief which the prince used to blow his nose. _

"_You can keep it, Prince Horokeu," he told him when the boy handed it back very wet and sticky._

"_I had telegrammed your father regarding the incident and had received his reply just now." The headmaster handed him a piece of paper from his desk drawer. "He deemed it best that you go home for a vacation just to clear your mind off things for a while. Your ship will be arriving tomorrow morning."_

* * *

><p><em>Horo-Horo reluctantly entered the throne room of the Kouri palace. The five-day sea voyage was long and tiring but his father instructed him to meet him there as soon as he arrived. There was no one in the throne room but the bulky monarch who waited for him by the window. The king of Kouri looked grim the entire time.<em>

"_I'm home," the prince called out for his father's attention in a whisper. The king turned to face him with his eyebrows almost meeting in the middle._

"_For just barely a year, you had broken the academy's rules, caused two security school personnel to lose their job, interfered with the royal police operations and got your friend killed in the process. My son, I had expected a lot from you," King Lycan spoke these words dangerously calm._

_Horo-Horo wanted to melt into nothingness. The last thing that he wanted to do was to disappoint his father._

"_I'm sorry… " That was all he could say. He tried to hold back the tears. He did not want to cry in front of the king of Kouri._

_Seeing the tears welling in his son's eyes, King Lycan's facial expression slightly softened. If Yukina were there, she would have reprimanded him for shouting at their traumatized son. _

"_I'm relieved that you were not killed much less hurt during the whole ordeal. I will be forever grateful to your friend. I had lost my wife. I can't imagine my grief if I were to lose my son. You may go and rest in your room. I only asked the head master to give you a month-long break. Make use of the time to reflect and forget about what happened."_

"_Yes Father…"_

* * *

><p><em>King Lycan strolled outside to breathe fresh air hoping that his anger would dissipate. He had wanted to scold Horo-Horo badly but he couldn't do it. How could he? His usually over energetic son seemed broken in spirit. He was not answering back like he used to and that's what made the king of Kouri even more worried. <em>

_How can I bring him back to his normal self?_

_He was passing by a tall apple tree when a newly hatched birdie suddenly fell down from its nest. It lay dead on the ground, its body smashed by the impact. The king felt an unusual wave of coldness. _

_A bad premonition._

_Intuitively, he ran towards the balcony of the prince's room. He was calmed to find his son sitting on the balustrade. Yet there was something uncharacteristic in the way he stared into the endless horizon. The death of his dear friend must have such deep impact on him. Out of the blue, Horo-Horo leaned forward and dove headfirst into the ground._

_King Lycan frantically dashed forward and spread out his arms to catch his son with all his might. He successfully caught him but his shaking knees eventually gave way. They both tumbled down on the grassy ground._

"_What in Great Spirit's name are you doing?" he bellowed at his son._

"_Damuko died because of me… I don't want to go back there." Horo-Horo started to cry._

"_Then why didn't you say so? If you don't want to go back then don't!" He said exasperatedly. "But on one condition," King Lycan grabbed his golden crown and plopped it on his son's head. "…from this moment on you will be king of Kouri. If you tried to kill yourself again you are leaving the people of this kingdom with no leader. Do not betray the people's trust by abandoning your post."_

_Horo-Horo stared at his father in astonishment. He was not able to speak anything out of shock._

"_Do not let your friend's death go in vain. She sacrificed her life so that you may live and what did you do in return? You go on performing this daredevil stunt to kill yourself. Pathetic!"_

_The young boy lowered his head in shame._

_King Lycan tried to breathe normally to control his swelling anger. "I'm appointing one of my trusted soldiers to be your personal bodyguard. He will keep an eye on you in case you do something crazy again. I will telegram the Royal Patch Academy tomorrow to inform them that you won't be coming back and that your sister will take your place instead. I will also ask them to ship back the rest of your things here."_

_Everything had happened so fast. He was suddenly made king, he was allowed to stop schooling and now his little sister will be studying at the academy. "Wait, why are you sending Pirika over?" the prince had finally found his voice._

_The king let out an audible sigh, "It's what your Mother had wished for before she died."_

_Horo-Horo was stunned. So their mother wasn't coming back after all. It's not like he had expected her to return. When he saw Queen Yuki's statue, it had already crossed his mind that his mother was probably dead._

"_Father, I saw a statue that looked like Mother at the festival."_

"_Of course, they would make her one. The whole celebration was in her name after all. Yukina, your mother, was lovingly called Queen Yuki by her people."_

_So that's why she looked so familiar. Horo-Horo tried to digest every single word he had heard._

_King Lycan sat on the grass next to his son. This was a long tragic story which he intended to tell to his children only when they were much older. _

"_I met your mother at the Royal Patch Academy's friendship ball fourteen years ago. She was such a beautiful and refined lady from a powerful and rich kingdom while I was a lowly hairy prince from a struggling monarchy. Nevertheless, our status differences did not stop us from falling in love."_

"_I wooed her every time I had the chance to visit her kingdom for business reasons which was rather frequent because I served as an emissary for Kouri to market our kingdom's butterbur produce. Eventually I asked her father for her hand in marriage but he vehemently disapproved. He couldn't let his daughter marry a pauper prince. In addition, she was already betrothed to the son of the king's royal adviser. So one night, we eloped." King Lycan smiled as he remembered how he had hidden his wife-to-be in an empty wooden box they used to transport butterbur leaves._

"_We were married here in Kouri and then you were born and Pirika came two years later. One day, your mother received a telegram from your grandfather pleading her to come home. The king was dying from old age and Yukina, being the only child was the next heir to the throne. If she didn't take his place as soon as possible, their ambitious relatives were already poised to fill in the seat of power. The king wanted to prevent them from exploiting the kingdom to their heart's content."_

"_That's why she chose to leave us," Horo-Horo whispered sadly._

"_Your mother made a difficult decision but she promised that she would come back. For several years, we waited for her return but only a telegram came. It was from Liam Diethyl, your mother's ex-fiance. He informed me of Yukina's deteriorating health. I sailed as fast as I could to see her but when I came, she was already dying. She said she was sorry a couple of times, sorry that she couldn't be able to come home like she had promised. She was really planning to go back to Kouri. In fact, she already gave away the whole kingdom to her advisers so that she won't have anything to mind other than her family. It was too late though. She already succumbed to her illness and died on the day of her supposed-to-be departure to Kouri. The night before she passed away, she made me promise not to tell you until you were much older the reason she had left, that she chose her kingdom over her children. She also asked me to send you to the Royal Patch Academy so you could have a chance to receive good education for free and also to see the world."_

"_You could have told us everything. We could have understood her situation."_

"_Could you? You were too young to understand everything. Being king is a tough job. When people look up to you as their leader, there are sacrifices you have to make, sacrifices such as personal happiness. I am not scaring you my son. I am just telling the truth. From this day on, you are no longer deciding for yourself. You are deciding for the whole kingdom. Are you up for the job, King Horo-Horo?"_

_The young boy nodded, "I prefer King Horokeu."_

"_Good. That's my boy." Lycan rested his arm around his son's shoulders._

"_What will you be doing now father?" the newly-appointed child king asked him curiously._

"_Oh, I'll still be working in the background. There is something I must do. I'll tell you about the good news later."_

"_Big brother!" a young girl's voice called out from Horo-Horo's room. "Your door is open so I came in."_

_Pirika's small face looked down at the pair from the balcony. "What are you two doing there?"_

"_My little princess," Lycan's voice rose one note higher. "Pack up your things. In a few days' time, we will be sailing off to a beautiful palace in a foreign land."_

"_Really?" the girl's eyes shone with excitement. "Will there be other prince and princesses, too? I'm sick of seeing big brother's ugly face."_

"_Yes, my sweet little butterbur. There's no ugly big brother there."_

* * *

><p>"You're giving too much thought about it, Horo-Horo." Lycan waved his hairy hand near his son's face who had been staring into nothingness for a few minutes already. "It's just a simple 'yes' or 'no'."<p>

"Well, I just remembered something." said the young monarch. _No ugly big brother huh?_

"By the way, Father, does Pirika already know about mother?"

"No, I did not tell her yet but I'll explain it to her when the right time comes. It's just a pity that we weren't exactly calm when I told you the truth seven years ago. I'm sorry about that…"

Both father and son felt awkward. They hadn't talked about that incident ever since it happened.

So… are you coming to the friendship ball?" Lycan tried to break the silence.

"No," King Horokeu folded his arms.

"Why not? I'm sure Headmaster Goldva had forgotten everything, the criminals had long since been locked in jail, and maybe the fired security personnel of the Royal Patch Academy had already gotten a new job. Horo-Horo, it's time to move on. Forgive yourself for what happened to Damuko."

The young king stood up. "You are misunderstanding me father. I have already moved on. The reason I'm not attending is because I AM the king here. I can't just leave Kouri behind."

Lycan gave out a smile. His son had really matured.

"But don't you call me Horo-Horo anymore," the blue-haired monarch narrowed his brows and pointed at his old man, "It's King Horokeu for you now, beardoo weardoo!"

Lycan's smile faded. Well maybe not that mature enough.

* * *

><p>King Horokeu relaxed on the balcony while his father cleaned up their breakfast tray. Because of their previous conversation, he couldn't help but replay in his head the scenes from seven years ago. He had attempted to bury those memories but he couldn't forget them no matter how hard he tried.<p>

_When the hostage taker fired his pistol, Damuko was almost near him. Horo-Horo had closed his eyes waiting for death to take him any moment. It was an act of cowardice but he was too young to care how he acted when he was about to die. He heard a second shot being fired by someone into the convict's direction. It probably came from the tall royal police man. When he felt that no bullet had actually hit him, he slowly opened his eyes but to his horror, Damuko laid on the ground with a bleeding hole on her chest._

_Why did you do it Damuko? He asked her as he tearfully held her in his arms. He brushed the locks of black hair away from her pale face. She began coughing out blood. _

_Life was fleeting fast from the girl but she managed to give him a weak smile. She caressed Horo-Horo's wet cheeks and whispered a-matter-of-factly._

"_You are very important to me."_

_Those were her last words._

King Horokeu stared up at the clear blue sky.

_Hey Damuko, how are things going to be if you're still alive?_ _Maybe we would still be both at the academy. Maybe by this time, we had already travelled to different places and see other colorful festivals. Maybe I could have asked your father for your hand then we could get married and have lots of kids and rule Kouri together._

_Maybe we were really in love but we did not realize it because we were too young to understand what it is._

_I miss you so much Damuko._

Tear drops hit the balcony's marble railings. It was the first time he had cried in seven years.

* * *

><p>"<em>Luchist, we all know that you are one fine officer, in fact, the best one in his field. You were actually who I was rooting for to be the next chief of the Royal Police after I retire. But the recent incident is just unfortunate, very unfortunate. Mr. Kurobe is a very influential person and he is vigorously seeking justice for what had happened to his only child."<em>

"_I did what I could Chief but there was this young reckless royal blood who made a rushed careless decision all by himself. I didn't expect that Kurobe's kid would take the bullet for him."_

"_I know, I know Luchist but our boss, Duke Liam is also not too happy about how the police force performed tonight. The escape of a death row convict and the death of a highly-regarded dam builder's daughter, they were just too overwhelming."_

"_So I'm going to be sacked from the Royal Police? This is what all this useless talk is all about?"_

"_Someone has to pay for what happened Luchist."_

"_And it had to be me? That escapee was not even in my charge, Chief. If I'm not mistaken death row inmates are directly under your supervision!"_

"_Look, I'm about to retire and I don't want my name, my legacy of peace tinted before I go. I'm going to give you a fair share of my retirement fund if you take the bullet for me."_

"_I'm sorry, Chief," he loaded his pistol and pointed at his superior. "I'll be the giver and not the receiver of your bullet."_

* * *

><p>That incident had started it all. It was strange that he began remembering it all now.<p>

He passed through the dark alley noiselessly like a ghost. If not for his distinct goatee, he would have looked like the grim reaper with his long black cloak and piercing eyes. He was tall and lean yet he made light footsteps for he didn't want to leave any marks that would trace back to him. He met a client that night and a new job was in order. How ironic that his former work was to save lives but due to a sudden twist of fate, he's now being paid to take them.

He opened the door to an abandoned wine warehouse that served as his refuge ever since society had rejected him.

"Was it an old client?" his childlike partner greeted him with enthusiasm.

"Yes," he grunted. He grew quite hungry from the long walk.

Hearing his grumbling stomach, the little guy threw him a piece of bread which he easily caught with one hand. "What did he ask for? I missed burning houses." It was his partner's specialty.

_How ironic. You're brother had also a thing for starting fires. _

Luchist recalled the events of that fateful day. After he had fired at the escaped convict, he approached him to see if he was still breathing.

_Please take care of my brother, Opacho. _Those were his last words.

When he went rogue, the first thing he did was to find the dead convict's little brother and now, he was stuck with this kid who had a penchant for committing crimes more sinister than those of his older brother.

"Well, maybe another client would call for arson but not this one." He grabbed a rickety chair and sat. "Our client ordered for murder."

"Oh goodie! Who are we going to kill this time?"

"Another royal blood."

"You really hate royal bloods don't you?" his partner smirked.

"This is just my job. Nothing personal. Though a prince did ruin my life before."

"If you say so. By the way, I think we need new masks. Our old ones had blood spatters all over them from our recent kill."

"Ah, how timely. You can buy them tomorrow. Be sure to choose fancier ones."

"Why?"

"Because we're going to attend a masquerade ball."

* * *

><p>End of Chapter 30<p> 


	31. Chapter 31: Preparations

The Four Kingdoms

By Elle Pellano

Author's Notes: Sorry it took more than a year before I updated this story. I had to focus on other things but now that I have more free time I can continue posting new chapters.

Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King

* * *

><p>Chapter XXXI: Preparations<p>

"Ouch! Yoh, you're hurting me!" Tamao rubbed her right toes vigorously to relieve it of the pain. She had already lost count of the number of times her dance partner had stepped on her small feet. From the corner of her eye, she spotted Queen Keiko and Queen Regent Kino watching them from afar. The latter was shaking her head in disapproval at every little mistake they made. It was the old queen's idea to train them in the arts of dancing and socializing before they would face the other blue bloods from around the world. Their practice sessions had started three days ago and so far it was an utter disaster. They were already scheduled to leave by ship tomorrow for the Royal Patch Academy's Friendship ball and yet they couldn't even last in the dance floor for a whole minute without her feet getting sore. Dancing was part of her fiancé's royal training and it was a mystery to her why her Yoh kept on having these little accidents. It was even a more clouded mystery why that blond bitch of a maid was doing better than her. The dance training was really meant for that commoner, Anna with no surname, yet she seemed accustomed to the social graces expected from a member of the royal family. _It's as if she were a princess herself…_

"I'm sorry Tamao…" the Kasai heir scratched his head in embarrassment. He's making a total fool of himself in front of everyone and he's dragging his fiancé along with him. The girl glared at him but he didn't seem to notice. He was completely ignoring her even though she was down on the floor rubbing the soreness away for the umpteenth time. Tamao followed his gaze and fumed when she found out what had been the reason for his lack of concern_._

Prince Yoh's eyes were affixed at watching his twin brother and his personal maid executing the perfect waltz across the room. The other Kasai prince was wearing his usual cocky smirk while his partner looked as stoic as ever even though he was slowly roaming his hands down towards her ample bottom. As soon as Prince Hao gave her a squeeze, Anna crushed his left foot with all her might. The prince yelped and stepped back away from the glowering girl.

"What a pitiful lot!" old Queen Kino slapped her forehead. She stood up from her chair and waved at the band to stop playing. Everyone in the room froze and looked at her. Truly, she was a woman who possessed the capability to get everyone's attention despite her small stature.

"How can you represent Kasai with such improper decorum?" she scolded. "Do not give the impression to other monarchs that Kasai royals do not have even the slightest etiquette in them. Hao, stop harassing your dance partner! Anna, smile more! Yoh, focus on your partner! Tamao, stop whining at every little foot accident! Oh Great Spirit, please give me the patience."

"If I would be so bold, Mother, I think it would be better to change partners," suggested Queen Keiko. "Hao and Anna have been doing well. Maybe they could guide Yoh and Tamao."

"That would be a splendid idea, my daughter," the queen regent clapped her hands. "Children, do as the queen says."

Prince Yoh's face lit up, his twin groaned, Anna blushed and Tamao looked like she wanted to kill a certain someone. The pink-haired girl stomped her way toward her new dance partner and forcefully grabbed his hand.

"My dear Tamao, couldn't hide your excitement to dance with me eh?" Prince Hao sneered at her. "Let's straighten up those two left feet of yours. It's a surprise that a lowly maid is such a better dancer than you are, PRINCESS." He put an emphasis on the royal title as if to mock her. The other Kasai prince had always been vocal in belittling her because of her non-regal background.

"Don't you dare touch me, Hao," Tamao warned him.

"Oh, don't worry honey. I wouldn't even attempt it. My eye is on a different woman and I think my twin brother also has his eye on her."

Tamao dug her nails into her new partners' shoulder as she spied her fiancé with the commoner.

Prince Yoh reluctantly reached for his governess' hand. He was shaking with nervousness but his face was evidently beaming with joy. Anna accepted his then placed her other hand on his shoulder, her heart throbbing the whole time.

"Yoh, Anna, are you disgusted with each other? Move closer together!" old Queen Kino instructed. Her eyes danced with mischief.

The couple blushed furiously as they inched toward each other. The waltz music started to play and the moment was theirs to relish. No words were spoken for about a minute until the blond girl broke the silence with her harsh mentoring.

"Straighten up your body, dimwit. Don't let me take the lead as if I were the man and not you."

"I'm sorry, Anna…" the Kasai heir followed her advice as best as he could. It took quite a while before he took control of the dance and finally got used to being this close to his friend.

"This feels nice..." Prince Yoh whispered.

His dance partner nodded in agreement.

"Would you like… to have at least one dance at the friendship ball with me, Anna?"

"Maybe… if Tamao would allow it…" Anna glanced at the pink head sulking from behind her partner. Every once in a while, the girl was flashing them dagger looks.

"If she doesn't, I guess will just have to find a way then… before you go and find Prince Ren…" the Kasai heir smiled sadly. Their day of parting was fast approaching. Soon they would be saying goodbye to each other forever.

Anna averted her gaze. A few days from now, she would be seeing her fiancé. She would tell him everything that had happened to her. She could go home to Kouku, seek for justice over her parents' murders and assumed her responsibility to the kingdom as queen. Yet, meeting Ren again would mean losing Yoh. They were like two sides of a silver coin. She can only look at one side one at a time. She gazed at her partner who was looking attentively at his feet for fear that he might step on her. She would miss this foolish friend of hers whose dumbness had threatened both of their lives.

_A friend from an enemy kingdom_…

She repeated the last two words in her mind. It was her mantra for convincing herself that it's no longer safe to stay here.

_Is it not truly safe to stay in Yoh's arms? Wait, what in Great Spirit's name did I say?_

Anna wanted to slap herself. Good thing she could control her tongue and not blurt out her thoughts recklessly. Imagine the humiliation if the prince would find out that she…

_No, since when did this happen?! _

No matter how much she denied it, the realizationwas too obvious to ignore.

_That's crazy Anna. You're a Kyouyama. You have duties to your kingdom!_

"Anna, is something bothering you?" her dance partner could sense her uneasiness.

"Nothing, I was just thinking of… how we would ditch our partners to look for Ren during the ball…" It was a half-truth, half-lie.

"Well, my lady, I have the perfect plan for my twin brother although I do think he would kill me if he would find out I did it."

"Oh? Could you share with me that perfect plan of yours?"

Yoh whispered something to her ear.

"Mischievous Yoh!" Anna clicked her tongue. "Where did you get that?"

"Er… Faust gave it to me so that I could use it on Amidamaru when I feel like escaping from the palace."

"How about your fiance? Knowing Tamao, she wouldn't let you out of her sight."

"Tamao would not be a problem since Pirika is there. They have not met in years so I guess they would be spending more time chatting," Yoh assured her.

"Well, if you say so… Pirika is that goofy King of Kouri's little sister, right? I wonder if her partner would allow her to leave for a while and have a chat with Tamao…"

"I guess we just have to find out for ourselves."

* * *

><p>"What are you doing here, Bason?" Prince Ren coldly greeted his former bodyguard upon entering the visitor's lounge of the Royal Patch Academy. He wasn't expecting someone from his father's troops to actually visit him in school.<p>

"I brought your ball clothes, your highness." Bason gently pushed an elegantly wrapped box towards him. The prince recognized his mother's elaborate work on it.

"Father could have just mailed the whole package. Did he also send a quarter of his soldiers just to guard me here?"

"The king is just taking preventive measures especially that the monarchs of the enemy kingdoms will be attending."

Prince Ren sighed, "The academy has tapped the royal police to address security issues. Wasn't that enough?"

"Extra caution is necessary my prince. The port is beginning to get crowded with royal ships arriving from different parts of the world. It's not only King Yuan who had this idea. Besides, your father is also curious as to whoever would be your date to the ball."

"Don't you dare meddle with my personal life, Bason. Let us be." The prince hurriedly took the box.

Bason smirked as he watched the Kaminari heir leave. _Oh you have a date? And I thought you'd come to the party as a loner. I have to report this to the king that his son is already starting to move on._

* * *

><p>Luchist Lasso caressed his chin where his goatee once had been. He felt naked without his facial hair but losing it was all worth it. After this task, he would be running off with so much gold coins he need not kill a single person ever again. He was trying on his fancy mask when he heard the front door creaked.<p>

"You look younger," a tiny voice complimented him.

"You're back. Have you finished installing all your devices?" Luchist inquired.

"Yes, it was too easy to infiltrate them," Opacho boasted. He laid down a small wooden box on the floor.

His tall partner wrinkled his nose as he took the box. "Are these fish? They stink."

"Yes, this is dinner. It's payment for my services today."

Luchist eyed him from head to foot. No one would ever think that this innocent-looking child in the guise of a cabin boy was a young brilliant assassin.

"I can tell you're excited." The smile was unmistakable.

"Yes, I am grateful that you let me play with fire once again."

"Don't thank me. It was a splendid plan after all."

"Do you think you'll see the prince who ruined your life?"

"I wish I would. He would no longer be a little boy by now. When I find him, I will not hesitate to kill him. His will be the first blood spilled."

* * *

><p>"What a pleasant surprise, Amidamaru!" Faust let the Kasai warrior into his hut. "Have you been to Kouku again to investigate your friend's death? If you spend too much time across the Great Spirit's River, King Mikihisa might think you went rogue and went to the other side."<p>

Amidamaru quickly drew his sword and pointed it at the medicine man's throat at the same time that Faust's wife came back with a steaming pot of tea. The tray went crashing down the floor.

"Now, now, Amidamaru. You're scaring my Eliza. Let's sit down and talk this over."

"What's your involvement with the murder of Mosuke and the Kouku royal family?" the warrior demanded.

"Nothing. I'm innocent. Aren't you suppose to be spying on Kouku instead of meddling with another kingdom's affairs?"

Amidamaru ignored him and took out a bundle of papers from his satchel. "Innocent? Why did you give Mosuke sleeping powder in great quantities? It was clearly written in here."

Faust glanced at the familiar-looking logbook. "I did not give the sleeping powder to him. I SOLD it to him but it was not my habit to ask my clients where they would use my concoctions. That book you are holding is where he records his orders from me. My my, you're stealing things from a dead man?"

The angry warrior touched his neck with the cold steel but confusion was painted all over his face. Mosuke was a blacksmith. There was no use for Faust's medicine in his line of work. "What do you mean he orders from you? I heard reports that the palace people were put to sleep before the Kouku royal family was murdered. Are you in cahoots with the criminals?"

"I am going to say this again, I have nothing to do with the murders of the royal family. You can kill an innocent man but please spare his beautiful wife."

Eliza began to weep.

"Then is Mosuke…?" Amidamaru couldn't bear to finish his sentence.

Faust seemed to have read his mind. "Mosuke won't do such a thing. Your friend lived to create swords but the kingdom of Kouku had been strict in following the terms of the peace treaty. During times of peace, sword-making business was not as profitable and it's not everyday that Mosuke gets to meet a warrior like you. When I was exiled to the border, I assisted him to make both ends meet by allowing him to resell my medicines. You see, we were friends in Kouku even before you knew each other."

"Friends in Kouku?" Now that was harder to digest for Amidamaru.

"I've been away from Kouku long enough, had even served the ruler of its enemy kingdom, Kasai, but I would have never ever orchestrated the murder of our royal family. If you would be so kind as to sheath your sword, I'll tell you everything."

* * *

><p>END of Chapter 31<p> 


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